Commander Rose (Discontinued)
by DisgruntledJaeger
Summary: (Story has been reworked into 'Rose of the Stars.')
1. Found

The first thing she felt was the heat. Then as the smoke and ashes filled her lungs her eyes snapped open, brilliant silver irises reflecting the blazing fires burning around her. She froze for a moment before her body was racked by great, heaving coughs as her body dispelled the foreign obstructions.

Still coughing, she managed to crawl to her feet, hands moving to cover her mouth as a thick and heavy haze of smoke engulfed her. She blinked furiously as the smoke made her eyes water, seeing the flames leaping out at her from the hazy grayness.

She took a step and stumbled, dizzy from the lack of oxygen. The fires were everywhere. She couldn't see, and all the while the inferno blazed brighter, threatening to engulf her in its burning heat. Her mind was in chaos as she took one tottering step after another, slowly speeding up until she was running full tilt through the flames. Her lungs burned and her legs threatened to give out beneath her, but she refused to stop, knowing the fate that would await her if she did.

Onward she ran, the world blurring around her as she picked up speed, running faster then any normal human could. The flames never seemed to end, leaping out at her like grasping hands reaching to pull her into their deadly embrace. Just when she had given up hope, the current of smoke pulled away revealing the bright midday sun shinning down on rolling green hills and trees.

She kept on running, putting as much distance between herself and flames as possible. It was only when she reached a small thicket of trees nestled atop a small hill did she finally stop, gasping for air as she leaned against one of the wooden pillars. When she finally caught her breath she turned back and gasped at the sight laid out before her.

It was a city on fire. Thousands of houses and other prefabricated buildings all belched black smoke into the sky.

She stared in shock, mouth agape as she watched the devastation unfold. After a minute of watching the blaze her mouth snapped shut, face settling into a resolute mask as her hands clenched. Who knows how many people were still inside, burned alive in the inferno.

She took a deep breath, forcing her anger down. Someone had to be responsible, someone would answer for this, or her name wasn't...

Wasn't...

Her mask dropped as she frowned in confusion. What _was_ her name? Try as she might she couldn't remember. In fact she couldn't remember a thing at all.

Her back found the rough bark of a tree as she leaned against it.

What was this place? Where was she? _Who_ was she?

She closed her eyes, trying as hard as she could to remember something. Anything. But the only thing that happened was a dull pounding in her skull, brought on by her earlier coughing fits.

Groaning in frustration she opened her eyes and looked down at herself.

The black skirt with red highlights and corset she wore was singed and burned. Skin tight leggings clung to her thin, yet shapely legs and high black combat boots weighed down her feet. The tattered remains of a long red hood hung from her shoulders. A belt like bandoleer was wrapped around her waist, the small loops for holding ammunition were all empty. But the thing that really drew her eyes was the strange emblem that was strapped on her right side.

After some fumbling with the piece she managed to pull it off and stared with fascination at the stylized silver rose engraved on its surface. She smiled softly, fingers gently traced the raised edges of flower. As she did, something stirred in her mind: A name. It was right on the tip of her tongue but it kept on eluding her.

Her head bowed, chin touching her chest as she fought to bring it back. She was trying so hard she never heard the sound of shuttles flying overhead, nor the sound of them landing near the outskirts of the city.

-Linebreak-

"Holy shit," someone murmured over comms. Lieutenant David Anderson couldn't help but nod in agreement.

After his disastrous mission on Camala, Anderson had been transferred from patrol to patrol for a long and boring four years. He knew it was his duty as a marine, but it was a complete waste of his N7 qualification. He longed for real action. Then the distress call had came from Mindoir, followed by three days of endless fighting to repel the Batarian invaders. But they were still too late. Most of the colonists had been abducted and the rest were slaughtered without mercy. Now they were on damage control, searching the many settlements that had been on the surface for any survivors.

The shuttle touched down and Anderson jumped out, the rest of his squad following behind him. Only once they had insured the surrounding area was clear of hostiles did Anderson slip his assault rifle onto his back, letting it fold back into it's compact form. Then he motioned to the two other squads that had unloaded with them.

"Search for survivors," he ordered grimly.

"Ain't no way anyone could survive that," the same person from before said sadly, an audible shudder making it's way through the comms. Again Anderson couldn't help but agree as he watched the flames leap high into the sky and heard the sounds of explosions from further in.

Despite this the squads dutifully started around the burning settlement, leaving Anderson and two others standing in the shuttle's down-draft.

It was a long minute that they stood there, watching the smoke rise into the sky before one of the marines finally spoke.

"Why?" he choked out, gesturing feebly at the burning settlement. "Why would they do something like this?"

"They're Batarians," the other growled out, angrily clutching her sniper rifle. "Them and their damned _cultural_ _practises_."

Anderson said nothing, not trusting himself to speak. Silence once again pervaded over the small group, broken only by the crackling of the fires.

Not one survivor. Not one.

His hands shook in suppressed rage as the orange glow bathed him in it's ruddy hue. The Batarian pirates had been particularly ruthless this time around. Anyone who wasn't packed on their ships as slaves were gunned down without mercy. Bodies filled the streets of a neighbouring settlement, a bloody testament to their brutality.

He shut his eyes, trying to keep the coming tears back. Everyone was dead. Down to the last man, woman, child. All were killed without a second thought. This one settlement had been their last place to check. He'd hoped to find someone, _anyone_ still alive, but it seemed that...

"Sir?"

He started as the voice of one of the marines broke him out of his thoughts. Blinking rapidly he squared his shoulders and turned to her.

"Corporal?" he asked.

She spared him a quick glance before lifting a hand and pointing towards a small thicket of trees a few hundred meters from the settlement.

"There. Do you see that?"

Anderson squinted, opening his mouth to reply a negative. Then he stopped as he saw a small black form nestled at the bottom of one of the trees.

"Is that..?

"Yes sir," the marine nodded, lifting the scope of her sniper to her eye. "Girl. Can't tell how old... and looks okay." She stowed her weapon on her back and looked back to Anderson."Orders?"

Anderson was already moving, long strides carrying him forward at a fast clip. "Follow me."

The three advanced quickly, Anderson never taking his eyes off the form slumped against the tree. When they finally reached her, the first thing he noticed about her was her hair. It was almost pitch black, turning red near the tips. Her clothes were burned and torn in places but still looked rather stylish, in a Gothic sort of way.

At their approach the girl started, head jerking up to stare at them with wide eyes. Anderson took a sudden breath as they made eye contact through his helmet. The girl's eyes were a brilliant silver, staring at them with a mixture of confusion and fear.

"Hey, easy," he said softly as she pressed herself against the tree. Getting down on one knee he slowly eased off his helmet and smiled calmly at her. "Whats your name, child?"

The girl swallowed, then looked down at a strange engraved emblem clutched in her hand. Then with new found confidence, she looked up and said: "Ruby... My name is Ruby Rose."

* * *

 **Updated: March 16, 2017  
**


	2. Recovered

Remembering could be so _boring_ at times. From where she lay on one of the bio-beds in the ship's medical bay, Ruby let out a groan.

Nothing. Aside from her name she couldn't remember a single thing. Even the clothing she had worn offered nothing in other forms of identification. The only thing she had to go on was the emblem. The carved, silver rose was beautiful to look at, obliviously someone had put a lot of work into it. But aside from her name, it refused to yield anymore secrets.

She groaned again. There was nothing to do. The good doctor on board, the name of whom she failed to catch, had given her a full medical examination after Anderson had managed to pull her away from one of the gunships docked in the hanger...

A goofy smile came to her face as she remembered the A-57(P) Mantis gunships. Or more accurately, the twin barrel AR77 heavy machine gun mounted below the cockpit.

Almost a full minute of sustained fire power, Anderson had told her, but its impressive ammo capacity came at the cost of damage per shot. He'd also given her a basic run down of the heat sync system and Element Zero. There was also a brief history lesson about the colony on Mindoir and the Alliance. For some reason, the fact that they were currently in space, on an actual _spaceship_ surprised her more then she thought. But the science elements of it all had gone through one ear and out the other. But somewhere along that line her brain stepped in and snatched up anything related to those beautiful, _beautiful_ cannons.

She shut her eyes, mind long gone as she tried to figure out some way to up the fire time even more. Ice maybe? Nonono, ice would melt in seconds. Liquid nitrogen? Where would the gunship hold it all? Well, Weiss had always said that white Dust could reach temperatures below...

Her eyes snapped open and she sat up in flash.

She had something! It was right there, right on the tip of her tongue... and then it was gone.

She flopped back into the bio-bed, groaning. Why couldn't she remember?

-Linebreak-

"... Aside from a few minor burns and a bad case of amnesia she's completely healthy," Doctor Chakwas said, tapping her data pad.

Beside her, Admiral Steven Hackett scowled. "Nothing else?"

"No," she shook her head. "In fact, from the scans I've taken she is healthier and far more fit then someone her age should be."

"Any signs of gene modifications?" Anderson worriedly asked on her other side.

She shook her head. "No, its all natural, and it troubles me to think that someone this young looks ready to run a marathon at a moments notice."

Hackett hummed again as they turned a corner. To the inexperienced crewmen, the corridors of the Everest class dreadnought _Harvest_ were a twisting maze of endless frustration. Not to him. The layout of the ship identical to his own flagship, suck at Arcturus for retrofits, so the brief journey down to the medical bay from the bridge was no issue. The girl on the other hand, was.

"What I want to know is how the hell she survived," he said, clasping his hands behind his back. "There's to much coincidence in this."

"You think it's a trap?" Chakwas looked at him, aghast. "You think that _she's_ a trap?"

"Doctor, we watched that place burn from orbit for three hours. No one could have survived that for long. And if what the girl says is true, she ran out of that blaze minutes before the search parties arrived. She should be little more then ash at this point."

"Maybe she was hiding in a cellar or something," Anderson theorized.

"But she can't remember, can she? What a coincidence."

Anderson scowled. "Admiral, she can barely..."

"Lieutenant," Hackett interrupted with a growl. "The Alliance has just suffered one of the most devastating pirate attacks in it's history. Until we're certain it's not leading up to something bigger everything is suspect. Is that clear?"

Anderson's jaw clenched, but gave a sharp nod and a stiff; "yes sir."

"Good," Hackett grunted as the door to the medbay drew near. It opened automatically as they approached, admitting them into the cavernous medical center. Dozens of bio-beds lined the walls, all of them empty save for one in the middle of the room near Chakwas' desk.

As this was the first time he had ever laid eyes on her, Hackett couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the girl's appearance. The red and black skirt she wore didn't seem all that strange but the corset wrapped around her waist looked... unusual for someone so young. The combat boots and leggings only added to the strange vibe she gave off.

But the thing seemed to draw his eyes more then anything else, even from this distance, were her eyes. Light seemed to reflect off the silver orbs, captivating him. They were, at the same time, eyes that were bright, young and innocent, but at the same time hiding the sharp, eagle gaze that took in every detail and left nothing out.

He had seen them many times before, in the eyes of hundreds of N7 special operatives, Alliance intelligence agents and starship captains. They were the eyes of a hunter. Always hunting, yet always wary of the hunter. Then she blinked and the silver orbs vanished for a second before reappearing, staring at a roundish object clutched tight in her hands. She was so engrossed in it that she never noticed the three stop right beside the bed. A full thirty seconds past and still there was no acknowledgment.

"Ruby," Chakwas finally said, laying a hand gently on the girl's knee.

The girl squeaked, dropping the object in surprise. It bounced off the bio-bed, hit the deck with a metallic clink and rolled between Hackett's polished shoes. Slowly, he reached down and plucked it from the ground, examining the silver rose engraved on its surface. After a while, he returned his gaze to 'Ruby' who was staring at him nervously. He nodded appreciatively.

"Its beautiful," he said, holding out the emblem.

Her hand lashed out, snatching it back faster then the eye could follow. As she clutched it close to her chest, Hackett could have sworn he picked up the faint hint of roses in the air before the ship's life support systems carried the sent away.

"T-thanks," she stammered, twisting around so she was sitting on the edge of the bed with her feet dangling off the edge. "I-I don't know who made it but... if feels important to me... somehow. I just... can't remember."

"Just keep trying, Ruby," Chakwas said warmly. "It'll come back to you eventually."

She nodded, face uncertain as she began examining the emblem again. Before she could become engrossed in it, Chakwas cleared her throat before gesturing towards the Admiral.

"Ruby, this is Admiral Hackett. He has a few... questions to ask you," she said, scowling.

Ruby's face twisted in confusion. "But.. I don't rememb..."

"We know," Hackett interrupted. "But there are things we need to know. Things only you can tell us."

"Uh... okay?"

"First of all, your memory. Is it only large chunks you can't recall or is everything gone?"

She thought for a moment before shaking her hand. "No. Everything gone, accept my name... and even that took me a bit."

Hackett's eyes narrowed. "I see. Next, you said you woke up in the middle of the fire, correct?"

"Y-yes."

"Where were you when you woke up?"

"I... don't know. There was just f-fire everywhere."

The questioning continued on for a few more minutes, as it did, Hacketts fears slowly started to abate. So far as he could tell the girl had no traces of mental conditioning or brain washing. Despite his earlier argument, however true it may have been, he really didn't want to do this, but Alliance Intelligence had been all too clear with their demands. And he'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little paranoid too. But so far Ruby was showing none of the dozens of symptoms Intel had listed off, if anything...

"Do you... think I'm a spy?" Ruby asked slowly after a particularity obvious question about her political opinion.

"Others do, yes," Hackett admitted. "But you have me convinced."

"And that's... good?"

His lips curled upward slightly. "Yes, that's good. How has the good Doctor been treating you?"

"Umm, good."

"You _really_ need to ask?" Chakwas asked dryly, scandalized that he'd even ask that.

"Just precautions, Doctor," Hackett said with a rye smile before turning away and heading back for the medical bay door with Anderson trailing behind him. He briefly heard Chakwas sit down at her desk as the door shut behind them.

"Was that really necessary," Anderson said as they started heading back to the bridge.

"I wish it wasn't," Hackett replied stiffly.

"There must have another way."

"Tell that to Alliance Intelligence. They'll be here in a few hours."

Anderson's eyes widened in surprise. "What?"

"They want to conduct their own investigation," Hacket growled. "I'll call them off, but you know how well they can make someone disappear."

He stopped and gripped Anderson on the shoulder, stopping him. "If they come within ten feet of her I want them locked in the brig. Understood?"

Anderson nodded. "Understood."

-Linebreak-

Never before, in the history of all time and space had remembering been sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo boring!

Ruby stared up at the ceiling, drool overflowing from the corner of her mouth as she lay on her back. There was nothing to do.

 _Nothing_!

Doctor Chakwas had long since stopped prodding her with that glowing holographic device on her arm, and had long since told Ruby to stop drooling over it every time she saw it. She just couldn't help it, that... _omni-tool_ thing fascinated her. And she was pretty sure she'd never seen anything like it before or she would've remembered it. Well, it was almost like a Scroll, if a little more advanced and...

She bolted upright, drool gone as she fought to keep the word in her head.

 _Scroll_. What was it? What did it mean? What-?

She groaned despairingly as she flopped back onto the bed. She almost had it. _Almost_.

"Ruby?"

She glanced over at Chakwas and the concern written over her face.

"I'm fine," Ruby sighed, rolling over onto her side. "Just... thought I had something there."

The Doctor's encouraging words were lost on her as she laid down again, twiddling her thumbs as she stared at the ceiling once again.

And then the boredom was back with a vengeance, and soon, so was the drool.

She stared blankly up at the ceiling, begging for something, anything to make it go away. She would have even settled for falling asleep, but she just couldn't nod off. Her limbs still thrummed with a nervous energy brought on by the near success of remembering, making any form of rest impossible. So she just lay there, still bored, staring at the ceiling, just... waiting. For what, she didn't know.

But the energy just wouldn't go away, building up like a dam inside her, ready to burst at the slightest move. And she just didn't know what to do to get rid of it. She felt like she needed to move, to just get off this bed and...

"Hey doctor?" She turned her head and met Doctor Chakwas' eyes as they glanced up from her paperwork. "Is there somewhere here I can... run?"

"Run?" Chakwas asked, rising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, like, you know, a jogging track?" Ruby supplied, gesturing with her hands. "Round, circle... thing you can run on?"

The Doctor let out a soft laugh. "I know what a jogging track is, Ruby. And yes, we do have one. Its smaller then one ground-side, but..."

"That's okay!" Ruby exclaimed, blotting up into a sitting position. "Can we go?"

Chakwas considered it for a long moment. "Well, your vitals are good, no major injuries aside from a few burns," she muttered to herself. "Really all matters on how you're feeling right now."

Ruby flashed her a big smile, the first real smile since she got here, and gave her two thumbs up. "Oh yeah, I'm good."

Giving her own smile, Chakwas rose from her desk. She sorted through a stack of datapads for a moment, selected the ones that needed her attention the most before heading for the door, gesturing for Ruby to follow.

The trek through the corridors was a long and twisted one, which involved passing through the mess-hall, earning many curious and sympathetic glances, and three long _boring_ elevator rides. By the time the last elevator reached their floor, Ruby was ready to fling herself out and kiss the floor for joy. Who designed elevators to go that slow?! But soon they approached the double doors and they hissed open, admitting them into the ship's gym.

As they stepped in, Ruby's eyes widened in wonder as she took in the wide expanse.

In all, the room was fifty yards in length and about the same in width. Around the perimeter ran the painted white lines of the track and in the middle was a large assortment of exercise equipment, ranging from dumbbells, bench presses and a bunch of stuff Ruby couldn't recognize. There were also a few dozen Alliance marines dressed in their standard PT gear, completing their usual workout for the day. As the two walked in, a few paused in their exertions and stared. As their eyes fell on her, Ruby stopped dead. The earlier excitement she had felt was gone and she felt uncomfortably self-conscious.

"Oh, don't mind them," Chakwas said. "They won't bother you."

"You sure?" Ruby asked, looking up at her.

"I'm sure," the Doctor smiled. "I am the one who gives them their injections after all."

The marines who were close enough to overhear visibly paled and returned to their workouts with renewed vigor.

Still a little put off, Ruby glanced back at the track and followed the white lines as they arched around the gym. They seemed so... inviting, somehow.

Before she knew what was happening her feet were already moving, picking up speed as she settled into one of the lanes and turned the first bend. A grin broke across her face and she pushed herself to go even faster. The wind blowing in her hair, rushing over her body was so welcome, so relaxing, so... familiar.

She turned the last bend and passed the door, barely catching the Doctor's surprised face as she sped by. No wonder. By now she was in a full out sprint, turning at the bend with practiced ease.

As she finished the second lap she caught Chakwas activating her omni-tool and pulling up a stopwatch, her datapads long forgotten. But Ruby didn't care, she was too caught up in the bliss. Never, in her sort time awake, had anything been as soothing as this. Her legs, pounding against the floor stayed strong and she wasn't even sort of breath. It was like she'd been built to run, and she loved it.

Third lap. Through her bliss, she could feel... something. A pressure inside that seemed to come from deep inside her. It grew slowly, spreading out to her limbs like the roots of a tree. It felt strange, but she wasn't scared. It didn't feel bad, if anything, it felt... right, somehow.

Forth lap. The pressure was building up, filling her arms and legs with a strange tingle of energy. Now it felt like she was physically trying to hold it in. But still it felt so... _right_.

Fifth lap. It was starting to get unbearable. The energy had filled her, making her legs tingle and burn, begging to be let out, to be used.

To _run_.

Then, as she passed the last bend, it broke free, blazing through her like a wildfire. Everything snapped into focus as her foot planted in the ground and for fraction of a second everything about her seemed to freeze.

But she wasn't scared. Far from it. As her eyes locked on the far wall, she embraced it, guiding the energy to her legs with such ease it was like she had been born with it. But overshadowing it all was something she'd never felt before.

Contentment. Like she, Ruby Rose had been made whole once again.

Then she kicked off the ground and the wall rushed up to meet her.

-Linebreak-

The door to the medical bay opened and Anderson stiffened, the all too familiar smell of blood filling his nostrils. Worry filled his chest as he saw a large group of nurses and marines in PT gear gathered around one bio-bed in particular. Over all the commotion the group generated, he could hear Chakwas' stern voice calling out; "that's enough! Give her room, now!"

"What happened?" Anderson demanded, shoving to the front of the group and staring at the sight before him.

Ruby was sitting on the bio-bed, face screwed up in pain as she clutched a large wad of bloody medical gaze to her face. Soft whimpers made through the thick dressing as Chakwas gently wiped away the blood that trailed down her chin.

"We don't know, sir," one of the marines answered. "One second she was on the jogging track, the next; BAM! Face first into the wall fifty yards away."

"Right! That's enough!" Chakwas yelled over the noise, standing and pointing at the door. "Get out! I have a patient to treat."

The marines hesitated briefly before walking out and the nurses that had gathered, mostly out of worry then necessity, all disbanded to return to their duties. Once they did, Chakwas sighed and softly rested a hand on Ruby's shoulder.

"Feeling better?"

Ruby nodded, eyes still screwed shut.

"Doctor?" Anderson asked, stepping forward. "What happened?"

"Biotics," Chakwas sighed. "At least... I think so."

"You _think_ so?"

"Well," she said stiffly, reaching over to her desk and snatched up a datapad before offering it to Anderson. "What would you call _this_?"

He took the device and saw a video file ready to play on its surface. Tapping the play button, he watched the view from one of the many security cameras stationed in the gym as Ruby started her run. He was honestly impressed as she reached her top speed and managed to maintain it for four laps with out getting short of breath. Then on the fifth lap, he watched as she turn the last bend and just... vanished.

"Face first into the far wall at speeds I can't calculate," Chakwas summarized. "Biotic charge. There's nothing else it could be."

"Possibly," Anderson murmured, replaying the footage and stopping it at a certain point. "But I don't see any eezo residue... And what are those?"

The footage was frozen just after Ruby sped off screen, and there, in the path she'd traveled, were small red specks that slowly drifted down to the ground before fading into nothing.

"We don't know," Chakwas said after she examined the clip. "Everyone was more worried about her then anything else. And, as you can see, they just... vanish. As for Ruby, well, she's better then I expected. No fractures, breaks, not even a broken nose."

Anderson looked at her, surprised. "Nothing?"

Chakwas was about to reply when a nurse strolled up and handed her a datapad.

"Thank you," she said, scanning over it's contents. As she went further, her brow furrowed. "This can't be right. Run another scan."

"I did, Doctor. Twice," the nurse replied. "Eezo readings turned up negative."

"That's impossible."

As the talk began to get more technical, Anderson's eyes wandered, eventually settling on Ruby; the sole survivor of Mindoir. As he stared, he couldn't help but get the feeling he'd be seeing a lot more of her in the years to come.

* * *

 **Updated: March 7, 2017**


	3. Passing Time

Alliance recruitment stations were never the busiest places on earth. There was always a line of people waiting for their turn to be interviewed, officers hurrying about their business and the general bustle that came with a location in downtown London. For Lieutenant James Corven, it was all part of the daily retinue.

Everyday for the past six months he'd sat at his desk in the cubical, watching people come in the doors and interviewing them all one by one.

He had met a lot of people in his time here: The ones who signed up for the adventure and opportunity. The ones who wanted the respect. The people who wanted to make a difference. The people who were looking for a way out. He'd practically seen them all in his time here and met them so often a person could hardly walk in before he had them categorized. Most of the time his predictions were correct, but there were a few who managed to surprise him. But none had really gotten his attention. None of them had really stood out in that way that said 'we will make true difference.' Sure he'd met the cocky and egotistical, the ones who said they would change the galaxy, burn armies and get _all_ the girls. He knew they were all blowing smoke out of their ass and people like that wouldn't amount to much in the Alliance. After a while, he began to believe he'd never meet someone like that; someone who really could change the galaxy.

But then _she_ had walked in.

One day, near the end of his shift, James had looked up and seen her walk in through the front doors of the station.

Standing just short of five feet seven inches and a thin, light build, she wasn't what he first judged to be soldier material. She wore black jeans, black combat boots with red soles and a black leather jacket with red highlights. Hanging from her belt above her right hip was an engraved silver rose emblem. Her skin was a pale white, and her hair a pitch black with the turned red near the tips. But the part that real stood out about her were the brilliant silver eyes, warm and welcoming yet harder then steel.

But it was the way she carried herself as she walked towards his cubical that real got his attention. He couldn't really place it, but the feeling he got off of her was one of destiny. This woman was meant for great things, he just knew it.

"This where I sign up?" she asked with a small smile when she was close enough. Her voice was light and youthful yet mature, perfectly fitting her young appearance.

"Indeed it is," James replied, opening up a new application form on his terminal. "Just a brief explanation on how this going to go. I''ll ask you questions, you answer them."

"Sounds easy enough," she quipped.

"Then let's get to it. First things first," his fingers hovered over the keys in preparation. "Name?"

She smiled. "Rose. Ruby Rose."

-Linebreak-

The shuttle rocked as a headwind struck it from the side. In the hold, two dozen new recruits sat in their seats, chatting or occupying themselves by some other means. But only one had their eyes screwed up tight as she tried to catch up on the sleep she missed catching the departing shuttle at three in the morning. Before long Ruby groaned, shaken awake yet again by the shuttle's rocking. Soon she just gave up, opening her eyes and pulling up her omni-tool. She glanced over the main menu, browsing her choices of entertainment before her gaze settled on the date in the upper corner: July 9, 2173.

This was the day. The exact day that she'd crawled out of the fires on Mindoir three years ago. She was eighteen now. Hard to believe it was really three years, it had all flown by so fast. Maybe her speed had something to do with that.

Her speed: The name she'd given to her impossible ability to run faster then any known being in the galaxy.

When she had first discovered it by accident on board the SSV _Harvest,_ Alliance Intelligence had swarmed all over her. Everyone was convinced it was some sort of new biotics, despite the complete lack of eezo in her body. For two whole miserable weeks they'd ran tests on her, trying to figure out how it worked, but after that they were just about ready to give up. It seemed to have no source whatsoever. Afterwards the matter was of what to do with her. Intel wanted her to come with them for further observation, an idea Hackett shot down instantly. The arguments went back and forth for another few days before, surprisingly, Doctor Chakwas had stepped in with a plan.

Let Ruby stay with her.

She was an Alliance medical professional, one of the best actually, not to mention the one person Ruby trusted the most at that point. She could observe Ruby and her abilities and be her legal guardian at the same time. Any findings or new discoveries would be sent to the Alliance and Ruby wouldn't be locked up in some lab somewhere.

After a day of discussion the plan was put into effect. Soon after, Ruby found herself living on Earth with the good Doctor in her apartment in London. It wasn't so bad. Chakwas was kind and they got on well together. School, however, had been the biggest problem yet.

It had been her prison for her whole time there. Every day was just like the one before that. Go there, learn some stuff, go home and immediately forget about it. Her grades weren't bad, in fact they were surprisingly high for someone who had forgotten everything about herself. Her math skills were good, her language and writing skills were adequate and everything else was good, making her a regular B grade student. But the one subject she always struggled in was gym class, and not in the way one normally would. Instead of lagging behind she was doing so well she had to slow down drastically to keep her speed from activating by accident.

That was the one problem with it; It was always there, waiting and ready to be used. All it needed was the smallest prompt and it would burst free, sending her flying at ludicrous speeds. It was _painful_ to hold it in, but she always managed somehow.

Why couldn't she use it? Two reasons. Alliance Intelligence and her own fear. First, they had forbidden her from using her speed outside of scheduled tests and observations. It was mostly all Hackett's idea and she couldn't help resent him for it. She knew the man was trying to help her, giving Intel enough data that they would be satisfied and not try to spirit her away for further... _testing_. And she rather liked not being locking up in a lab somewhere, thank you very much.

As for the other reason, well... she was scared. In the three years that she'd been stuck in that prison known as high school she had always been the social outcast. She had always been known as the girl who was more into guns and weapons then the other things that teens found interesting at the time. With that in mind, she hadn't really made any real friends, and being socially awkward hadn't helped much in that regard. If her speed had ever became public knowledge... well, there had been a few kids there that were showing biotic potential, and they were labelled freaks for it.

So... yeah, she was scared.

Her only relief had been the tests set up by Intelligence. About once every two weeks, Chakwas would take her an Alliance training facility based inside the city were the 'eggheads,' as Anderson called them, would be waiting. There they had her run a series of obstacle courses, exercises and laps, all the while tracking her physical progress.

At first she had hated the whole thing. But before long she started looking forward to biweekly tests, longing to just let loose and run.

Though the tests did almost nothing to help Intel figure out her speed, they did find out some interesting pieces of information. The first was that her speed acted like a muscle. The the longer and faster she pushed it, the harder she could go. The second thing was that she burned calories like crazy, enough to put the best human biotics to shame. That put her diet out of skew for a while, but they eventually figured out a solution for her. As for the rather strange rose petals that she left in her wake when she ran, no one had a single clue where they came from. Something that frustrated Intel to no end.

All in all, the last three years had been a series of ups and downs. She didn't come out of it with many friends, but the ones she did have were some of the best. But out of all of them, Anderson was one of her favourites.

From the moment he'd found her, the man had taken her under his wing, and that carried on even on Earth. He stopped by to visit every chance he could and Ruby always looked forward to the next time he came. Being an N7, and a new promoted Captain at that, meant he always had dozens of interesting stories to tell. Sometimes his visits would just be them sitting together in the apartment, the two grownups weaving together tales of far off planets, dangerous situations and other exciting adventures.

Those were some of the fondest memories she had. Not the most fun, mind you, but the ones that she treasured and clung to. Because... that was when they felt more like a family...

She sighed, eyes downcast.

Even after all these year she still couldn't remember a single thing about herself. Maybe she never would...

She shook her head, scattering that thought to the wind. For, as Doctor Chakwas said, 'hope only dies if you let it. Keep believing, and keep on searching.' So she kept on hoping. Maybe one day she would find them. And, she supposed, that was part of her inspiration for joining the Alliance.

It hadn't been much of a surprise to the Doctor when she told her a few months ago of her plans to enlist. There was just something about it that drew her in like a moth to a flame, she just couldn't figure out what. Maybe it would help her find the answers she was looking for, maybe she would even find _them_. Her true family.

She was grateful of Chakwas' support of her decision, and Anderson's after he found out. And now, here she was, on route to the Alliance Training grounds stationed out in the Canadian Rockies. She didn't feel worried or even nervous and it begged the question; had she done something like this before?

The shuttle rocked one last time before landing with a small jolt. Once it had faded, the hold erupted in noise as the new recruits undid their restraints and grabbed whatever personal items they had brought with them. Ruby was no exception, pulling up a large black duffel bag from beneath her seat and slung it over her shoulder before moving to stand with the other recruits by the door.

The hatch slid open, letting the midday sunlight stream in across her face. Welcoming the warmth, she stepped out of the shuttle and into a new chapter of her life.

-Linebreak-

The first few weeks were best summed up in one simple word: Hell.

On the first day they had learned what they'd be doing for the next few weeks: Physical Training. The next they were doing twenty mile runs, pushups and more squats then she cared to count. One thing was for sure though, it certainly singled out the dedicated.

By the end of the first week she proven herself to be the fastest runner on the whole base, even putting the staff to shame.

It was hard for all of them, but Ruby couldn't help but feel like she had it the worst. All throughout her training her speed was splitting her at the seams, longing to be let out. Sometimes it got so bad that she was forced to tap out of some the more challenging running exercises or risk being exposed. It only got worse as the weeks dragged on, and she always felt like she was going to snap.

That problem aside, and once the initial pain had passed, she began to see just how much she was changing. She was getting stronger, could run far longer then she though possible, without her speed of course, and felt better then she had in years. She couldn't describe it, but it felt right somehow: Learning to be a soldier.

The third week of hell came and went and soon it was Monday again. But this time it came with a pleasant surprise.

"Introduction to Alliance firearms!" the instructor bellowed. "Now that your PT phase has passed we can start getting into the good stuff."

From where she and the other recruits stood smartly in drill formation in front of the base's outdoor shooting range, Ruby's lips curled upward. This was the part she'd been looking forward to for a long time. She had never really handled many guns in her time with Doctor Chakwas, much to her dismay. It was hard to get her hands on any kind of gun with the Doctor being her guardian and all that.

"When I say your name," the instructor continued, bringing her out of her thoughts, "you will step forward and select a firearm from the table." He motioned to a table to his right were an assortment of guns were neatly laid out.

"You will then proceed to one of the ranges and await further instructions. Am I understood?"

Ruby snapped to attention with the others. "Sir yes sir!"

He nodded, satisfied, then lifted the datapad he'd brought with him. "Murphy M."

One by one the people he called up did as ordered, picking a weapon, checking the safety and moving to the evenly spaced ranges.

Waiting impatiently, Ruby stared at the table and watched what was taken. Most of them only grabbed an assault rifle or shotgun, of which there were many, without a moment of consideration. She, however had her eyes on one rifle in particular.

"Rose R."

She stepped forward with purpose and picked up her weapon, the standard Avenger sniper rifle, the weight sitting comfortable in her hands as she moved to her own firing lane. The human shaped target standing fifty yards away taunted her with its presence as she waited.

Soon the last name was called and the instructor called out: "Range is clear! You may fire at your discretion."

Instantly the air was filled with the sounds of gunshots.

Smiling, Ruby raised her own rifle to her shoulder, then paused as she took a closer look at the rifle.

"Is there a problem, Miss Rose?"

She merely blinked as he appeared beside, an eyebrow raised at her hesitation.

"No sir," she replied, looking over the rifle. "Its just this isn't the standard Avenger I was expecting."

He nodded, impressed. "Good eye. That is actually a new prototype, the Avenger V. It features a boost in power and a new heatsync ejection system for the clip."

"Why?" she asked before quickly adding, "sir."

The instructor shrugged. "Some people thought why wait for the gun to cool? Just pop the clip and you're good to go. There's five clips loaded up in that thing, show me what you can do."

Ruby nodded, turning back to the target. She found the ejection slide with a brief glance before raising again raising the rifle to her shoulder. Looking through the scope, she settled the crosshairs over the bullseye in the center of the target, held her breath, and pulled the trigger.

The rifle bucked in hands as it fired, sending the round down range.

Then something... weird happened. In the split second after the gun fired, her body seemed to move on some hidden instinct. The recoil pressed into her shoulder, but she barely felt it as her arms reset the sights almost instantly and her arm shot forward, pulling the bolt and ejecting the spent clip. The whole process took less then a second, and the rifle was ready to fire again.

Again she pulled the trigger and felt her body react to the shots. It seemed that while her memory was lost, some long forgotten muscle memory wasn't.

Shot after shot rang out until she pulled the trigger and got a loud click in return. Letting out the breath she'd been holding, she pulled her eye away from the scope and looked to the target.

Five holes, grouped so tightly together you couldn't tell them apart, in the dead center of the bullseye.

She grinned in satisfaction and noticed for the first time that the firing range had gone silent. Looking around, she saw all the others staring at her and her target in awe. Suddenly she felt very self-conscious, but forced it down as she'd done so over the years and turned to the instructor.

He was staring at her, eyes wide and mouth open in surprise. After a moment he swallowed and asked, "who... taught you how to shoot like that?"

"Uh," she stammered, "no one, sir. Talent, I guess?"

"I'm... impressed," he said. "You make a fine marksman."

She smiled at the praise. "Thank you, sir."

-Linebreak-

The days past quickly and their training even more so, and throughout it all, Ruby could feel her frustration building. Controlling her speed was getting even harder with each passing day. She longed to just let loose and run. And, on a rather strange note, holding it in just felt... wrong.

Then, one day, she was pulled out of one of the exercises without warning by the camp's on site security. The other recruits and even the trainers all curiously watched her go as she was escorted deep into the main complex. Soon she was led to a room guarded by two marines in the black armor of Alliance Intelligence.

As she stepped in and the door was shut behind her, the weeks of training kicked in, drawing her eye to every single detail she could pick out. The plain cream colored walls, the long table with chairs evenly placed around it... and the man in a black uniform who she instantly recognized as the head of Alliance Intelligence itself.

"Colonel Fang, sir!" she said, snapping to attention and saluting.

The man waved a hand dismissively. "At ease and have a seat, Miss Rose."

Once she had settled herself in a chair, Fang pulled a datapad from under the table and swiped through its contents.

"You have... impressed us, Miss Rose," he said, face impassive. "You surpassed our expectations in your physical training, your marksmanship is noted as being superior to all in your class, and we are beginning to see your leadership skills coming to light now that your squads have been assigned."

"Thank you, sir," she said, warmth blossoming in her chest from the praise.

"However," Fang continued. "Your trainers have begun to notice that you seem... frustrated during your exercises."

The warmth vanished. "Yes sir."

"I take it this is because of your speed, correct?"

Ruby swallowed nervously. "Yes sir."

Fang nodded, as if confirming something. "We suspected as much."

He pulled up his omni-tool and began jotting down some notes. When nothing else was forthcoming, Ruby spoke. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

He paused in his typing and gave her a glance. "Granted."

She sighed, thinking about the best way to put it. "Sir, why was I... _denied_ use of my abilities?"

Fang considered the question for a moment before answering. "To put it simply, Miss Rose, you are _very_ unique. Everyone in the galaxy has biotics, everyone in the galaxy has starships, there is always technology being developed that can even the scores in any battle. But you... you are one of a kind. Your power is unique to you and _only_ you. You are something that no one else will ever be able to replicate. Call us greedy, but the Alliance wants to keep you to itself."

"I understand that, sir,"

"Then you will also understand that if you were discovered by the galaxy at large, demands would be made for you by the Council to be studied. Even with evidence to the contrary, they would still search for a way to replicate your abilities. Even if that means dissection."

Ruby shivered at the thought.

"Miss Rose," Fang said, leaning forward. "Right now you and your abilities are one of the best kept secrets in Alliance space. And we would prefer to keep it that way. However, we are beginning to see that holding it in is becoming rather... unhealthy for you."

"That's an understatement," she muttered to herself, before remembering who was in the room and added a respectful "sir."

The Colonel ignored her slip up and resumed typing. "We have arranged for the time between three and five pm to be your own personal 'workout' period. There is a section of forest a few miles away that you can use. The coordinates will be sent to your omni-tool."

Her mouth opened in surprise before she snapped it shut. "I... Thank you, sir."

"You can thank Adrimal Hackett," Fang said, closing his omni-tool and rising from his chair. "However, I hope you realize that this isn't just for your personal reasons. We're still very interested in phasing your speed into your combat style. You will be granted full weapon access for your workout, but we expect you to train and figure out for yourself how your speed can be best applied. Understood?"

She stood and gave him a crisp salute. "Yes sir."

"Good." He glanced at his omni-tool. "It is currently 1445 hundred hours, you should be getting ready around this time. You are dismissed."

It took every ounce of her strength to walk calmly down to the armory to retrieve her favourite Avenger sniper rifle. The quatermaster looked at her funny when see walked in, clearly not expecting her. But after she showed him the authorization given to her by the Colonel, he handed over the weapon and a suit of training armor without a word.

Once she had equipped herself she started the long and awkward walk across the training grounds. Obviously the staff had gotten the word that she was not to be stopped, but that didn't stop them from muttering to each other.

But for once, she didn't care.

Once she had made it to the tree line surrounding the base she picked up the pace, running full tilt through the thick woods without effort, sniper rifle gripped tight in her hands.

Once she determined herself far enough away from the base she let go, allowing her speed to explode out. One second she was running, the next she was flying at breakneck speeds, dodging around trees and rocks faster then the eye could follow.

It was bliss.

But... not quite.

She stopped on a dime, bracing herself as the rushing air from her slipstream raced past, carrying with it a few crimson petals and the scent of roses.

Something was missing. She glanced down to the rifle in her arms and realized for the first time that, though she was a born natural with a sniper, it didn't... feel right. Something was missing about it. She turned it over in her hands, examining it from every angle, but she could figure out what it was.

Shrugging, she resumed her run to the designated area and got to work. She started out with one of the exercises she'd been given while living with Chakwas; a combination of sprints, speed enhanced jumps and stretches. After that she tried more advanced things, firing on the move being one of them. And that was when her true problems came to light.

The sniper rifle, while feeling odd and awkward in her hands while using her speed before hand, now filled her with such a sense of wrongness and, even more strange, _betrayal_ that she eventually threw it down in disgust.

That wasn't the weapon for her, she knew that much. But what was?

For the rest of the period she racked her mind for an answer, but none came to mind. All the way back to the camp she churned around ideas in her head about what was wrong, but none of the seemed right.

The rest of her day went without incident. The other recruits were curious, of course, but she easily evaded all of the hard questions she could couldn't answer. She finished the rest of the day's training easily, feeling more relaxed then she had in weeks and went to bed that night with a warm feeling of satisfaction. Her dreams, however, quickly drove that feeling away. Black monsters with glowing red eyes charging out of the darkness of her dreams, each roaring for her blood. But she wasn't scared. If anything, she felt... complete.

Then, in the middle of the night, she shot upright in her bunk, breathing heavily.

She had seen it. The very thing she thought she was missing. It had felt so real she could still feel the weight in her hands as she swung it through the air. She had found it, the missing piece of the puzzle.

She went back to bed, mind racing with the implications.

The very next day she had given Colonel Fang a call, requesting permission to add a little more... _variety_ to her new training period. After hearing her reasoning behind it he granted her request with an order for regular updates on the situation.

A day later the first design of the weapon were drawn up... and quickly thrown out. The length of the whole thing looked so wrong, even in the early stages of development. As the days passed by the designs became more streamlined, and she began to see the very weapon she'd seen in her dreams taking form.

It took two whole weeks of careful design and research, but as she held the datapad at arms length and gazed at the true work of art on its surface, she knew that it was ready.

As a standard Alliance training facility, the base was built with a large armory, the kind which allowed storage, modification and even creation of any kind of weapon. With Fang's authorization, Ruby found herself in their as often as training would allow, scrapping whatever old guns the base would give her and ordering in what was needed.

As the days went by the scattered pieces of metal and wires began to take form, and, after nearly two months of work, Ruby stepped back from the work bench, gazing in awe at what she had created. Her hand slowly trailed along the shaft, the touch sending a tingle through her fingers.

It was... perfect.

She could barely focus throughout the next day, waiting excitedly for her personal training period to roll by. When it did, she had to force her speed down once again as she raced to grab her new weapon from the armory and rushed out to the woods.

Just holding it made her giddy as the trees flashed by. She could count every wasted second until she slid to a stop in a small clearing in her area. The bare dirt in the center bore testament to the countless hours she'd spent stretching on its surface. But she only had eyes for the large hybrid sniper rifle cradled in her arms. To say it was big would be an understatement. Even its folded up form it was still large enough to take up all the space on her back.

Caressing the smooth metal, she pressed a hidden button near the grip, activating its first stage. The back of the weapon unfolded, forming a stock perfectly fitted to her size. The front of the rifle remained unchanged, a large rectangle of metal with a small barrel poking out the end, but a small scope popped out the top.

With a feeling of reverence, she raised the scope to her eye, sighting up a tree a dozen yards away. The sights lined up perfectly.

She took a deep breath, calming herself as she keyed the button again.

With a series of clicks and whirrs, the stock extended, pieces sliding out of the main body as it narrowed until she was left with a long shaft of cool lightweight steel reinforced, carbon fibre tubing. Then the main body levered in half, hinging at the top as four segmented pieces of titanium unfolded, forming a long curved blade.

She watched the seamless transformation with glee until, in hands rested a long, curved scythe. Its shaft reaching almost seven feet long and the blade, gleaming in the afternoon sun, stretched out five feet in a deadly arch. In the center of the weapon, where the shaft met the blade, the tip of the barrel poked out on top of the still intact rifle assembly.

This is was the HVSS; the High Velocity Sniper Scythe.

Slowly, her hands adjusted themselves on the shaft, finding the perfect balance as she gave an experimental swing. The blade cut through the air without a sound as her feet, by some unknown instinct, shifted, adopting a stance that just felt... natural.

Delighted, she swung again, and felt her body flow with it, like she'd trained with this weapon all her life. Her movements became faster, the scythe becoming a blur in the air as she twirled it around, the actions coming back to her from the depths of her mind like she'd never forgotten them in the first place. She just needed slight adjustments for the increased weight and her new... height and... strength...

The scythe slowed to a halt, planted in the ground elegantly behind her back.

It was like she'd used this weapon before. But when? How?

She remained in that pose for a minute, racking her mind for answers. Then, quite unexpectedly, something came to mind. Not an answer to her question, but a name.

"Crescent Rose," she breathed, relishing the name as it flowed over her tongue. Then, in that instant, she felt more complete then she had in years, like she'd been reunited with the other half of herself that she never knew she'd been missing.

-Linebreak-

The months seemed to fly by for Ruby, days blurring together as the year started to come to a close. They were, admittedly, some of the best times of her life.

She had been chosen as the leader of Bravo squad in the first few months on account of her flourishing leadership skills. Skills she, admittedly, had no idea she possessed. But she did her best, leading Bravo to the top of the leader boards in the live combat drills that had became standard after month four.

As a squad leader, she gained a reputation as a fearless tactician, leading her men into battle with a tenacity and battlefield awareness that surprised everyone. But if there was one thing that truly defined her in those drills it was her overwhelming sense of duty to those under her. She would never waste lives, even if they were drills. Her squad had one of the highest survival ratings per mission in the whole camp, topped only by their mission success rating, as well as number of crazy plans that spawned in her head.

As a marksman, she was a nightmare on the field. Once she had mastered the art of firing from a fixed position, she had switched to the art of firing on the move. In a few months everyone on the opposing teams were terrified of her. It wasn't too uncommon for her to jump out of a second story window, sight up a hostile in cover fifty yards away, take him out with a well aimed shot in midair then hit the ground and roll into cover before anyone could get a bead on her.

She had been forced to put up with the standard Avenger as Crescent Rose wasn't exactly Alliance standard, and the recruits weren't allowed to have their own custom weapons. She understood the reasoning behind it, but Crescent Rose was special. She... also might not have told Alliance Intelligence everything about it. Actually, all she sent them about it were the plans for the rifle segment and a model that was conveniently lacking the giant ass blade. She had a suspicion that, upon seeing her plans they would shut down any hope of the sniper scythe coming into being. As such, she had hidden Crescent Rose away in a footlocker she'd smuggled out to the woods.

...Crescent Rose, her little sweetheart. Everyday she'd gone out and trained with the sniper scythe combo. Everyday she could feel the moves coming back to her from... somewhere deep inside. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't remember anything about how or when she had learned to use a weapon like this. She was getting better, though. She could feel it.

Though, while practising with Crescent Rose was her favourite past time, she was starting to get frustrated again.

Why?

Why was she training so hard with this if the Alliance would never let her use it?

Then, quite unexpectedly near the end of the year, her answer came.

-Linebreak-

The lines of text scrolled passed on the datapad, silver eyes, hardened and conditioned by months of training, picking the message apart piece by piece as her mind struggled to comprehend what she was reading. Finally she looked up.

"Transferred?" Ruby asked, confusion evident in her voice.

Across the table nestled in the small conference room, both Colonel Fang and Admiral Hackett nodded.

"B-but," she stammered, "I-I'm only a year through basic. Isn't that a little... early, sir?"

"Yes," Fang replied, as impassive as ever. "But this is hardly your standard reassignment."

"But..." she tried again before Hackett cut her off.

"Your record doesn't lie, Miss Rose," he said with a small smile. "You're top of the class in everything. Your agility and leadership on the battlefield is incredible, and your marksmanship is damn near legendary."

"This is also the opportunity we've been waiting for," Fang took over. "We have been discussing it for some time and have decided that this is the best way to introduce your speed to the Alliance in general."

"By transferring me to another unit, sir?"

"As the Colonel said, this is hardly a regular transfer," Hackett answered. "The unit you're being moved to is at the Interplanetary Combatives Academy in Rio de Janeiro."

Ruby's eyes shot open and she straightened in her chair. "But, that would mean..."

"The N7s, yes," he replied, growing serious. "No doubt you were aware your name was on the list of possible candidates, but you weren't accepted. The truth is you _were_ accepted, but we held your name back on account of your abilities."

She pondered his words for a moment with a frown. "With all due respect, sir, what does my speed have to do with it?"

"Everything," Fang said. "The initiation involves one of three different combat situations; Assault, Last-Stand and Survival. They're all self explanatory, but the fact of the matter is your speed gives you an unfair advantage in all of them. Since this is the way you'll prove your speed to the Alliance, we don't want there to be any shortcuts for you to exploit. Therefore, the initiation we have planed will be a combination of all three."

"I see," Ruby said slowly.

On the inside she was a mix of blubbing excitement and cold dread. On one hand, it was the N7s! The elite of the elite and she was being chosen to join them! On the other... a challenge unlike any other she'd faced yet.

She took a deep breath and looked up. "So what happens now, sir?"

"You'll be shipped off to the Academy tomorrow," Hackett replied. "You'll be briefed on the shuttle ride there. The test begins thirty minutes after you touch down."

"Isn't that a little fast, sir?"

"Its all part of the initiation, Miss Rose," Fang spoke up. "The other N7 candidates have already completed their trials, and the ones who passed have earned their N1 ranking. It took them two weeks to pass their initiation in some of the hardest conditions and situations the Alliance could throw at them. You will go through an even more rigorous test, but instead of weeks you'll only have a matter of days."

"But enough talk," Hackett butted in. "Your shuttle leaves at 0800 hours tomorrow morning. Get your kit together and get a good nights sleep, you're going to need it. Any questions?"

A grin tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Can I bring custom equipment?"

* * *

 **Updated: March 7, 2017**


	4. Eden Prime P1

"What about Rose?"

Udina glanced up from the pile of datapads scattered about the table, a dubious looking coming over his face. "Rose?"

"Rose," Hackett confirmed, annoyed at the ambassadors apparent wilful ignorance.

"Ah yes, _Rose_ ," the ambassador said slowly. He shifted through the pile, pushing pads aside as he dug down to the one left at the bottom. " _Her_. But really, Captain, I think you will find Lieutenant Ambrosia quite the subject, he's-"

"Not what we're looking for," Anderson interrupted, pushing the pads in front of him away. They scattered every which way, adding to the clutter that filled the conference table. Of the three men seated, only Udina payed the devices any attention. Both Hackett and Anderson had already gone over the names and found only one that was the right choice.

"I couldn't agree more," Udina said quickly snatching up another one. "Well what about Commander Wallace? Served five tours of duty, good combat record and-"

"Dishonourably discharged," Hackett growled. "And I've met the man, he was one of the worst racists I've seen in the Alliance. Putting him forward for a Spectre candidate is just asking for trouble. He cares jackshit for non-humans. His last hostage situation proved that well enough."

"W-well," the ambassador stumbled. "Lieutenant Torchwick, then. I've heard she's one of-"

"Just stop, Udina," Hackett interrupted, glaring until the man shut up. "We've been over this before. Rose is, without a doubt, one of the best humanity has to offer."

"No, you two agreed about it," Udina snarled. "The fact is, Miss Rose is too dangerous to even be considered for the Spectors!"

Anderson scoffed. "Forgive me, but isn't being dangerous one of the qualities they look for in a Spector? Believe me, I would know."

It earned a dry chuckle from Hackett, but Udina only bristled. "Yes, I admit that is part of what they look for. But on a political standpoint, Miss Rose is a disaster waiting to happen!"

"You mean her powers, don't you?" Hackett growled.

"That, and that... that giant farm tool of hers! What on earth could have possessed her to even make something like that?"

"Not the point."

"Well, I-I," Udina spluttered angrily.

"She saved the whole damn colony," Hackett continued, glaring at him. "If not for her Elysium wouldn't be standing."

"Both the Hero and the Reaper of Elysium," Anderson noted grimly. "She did what was necessary, even if that meant pulling out the heavy artillery. From the way she fought, survivors said she could have held off the whole invasion blind and with one hand tied behind her back. Her weapon, Crescent Rose, and her speed are what won that fight."

"And that is the biggest issue!" Udina shouted, bolting upright. "Do you realize the backlash that came from her reveal? She turned the whole scientific community of the galaxy on its head trying to figure out her abilities! Even the Council stepped in on their behalf, demanding we hand her over for study!"

"And she complied willingly," Hackett said. "And they found the same things we did: Nothing. They could find any source of her powers and just gave up. If anything, that makes Rose an even better choice. The Council has met Rose personally, and they know what she's like. Hell, do you even remember what Tevos said?"

"'You have the perfect makings of a Spectre,'" Anderson supplied.

"Exactly. I don't know what bullshit you've been reading, but Miss Rose is perfect for this. She's been proving herself as far back as her N7 days when her speed became public knowledge in the Alliance, and she's been proving herself ever since." Hackett reached across the table, digging down through the pile of pads and pulled out the one Udina had tried so hard to avoid. He set it in front of the inraged Ambassador. "She's the best choice here, Udina, and you know it."

"But what about now?" the Ambassador demanded. "What about Agaus? Do you realize what would happen if that leaked out?"

Anderson and Hackett shared a glance. He was right.

"The official report still stands," the Admiral said at length. "Agaus might have been a disaster, but there's no clear evidence that she's responsible."

"Evidence? We still have families asking for the bodies back! And you know why we can't do that!" Udina cried.

"The Council cleared her of all charges."

"Unofficially," Udina reminded him. "The public's opinion is still up in the air."

"But we don't need to worry about them," Anderson said. "This is a Council decision, and they know her better then any other candidate. She is the best-...No. She is the _only_ choice we have if we want to have a chance at this."

Udina sighed, reluctantly taking the pad and scanning its surface. The name was all too clear: **Commander R. Rose**.

He sighed, shoulders sagging in defeat as he slumped back into his chair. "I'll make the call."

-Linebreak-

There was a loud clang in the wide expanse of the cargo bay as the armor locker was thrown open, a pair of hands digging inside. Within seconds they found the black body glove and pulled it out. Piercing silver eyes examined the fabric, searching for any rips or tears. Finding none, it was shoved back in as the hands began undoing the buttons of the Alliance uniform, decorated with the gold bars of a Commander.

As the dress jacket fell from her shoulders, Ruby Rose shivered, the familiar cold of a starship touching her bare arms.

Pushing the feeling aside like hundreds of times before, she reached into the locker again and pulled out a wire clothes-hanger, slipped it into the jacket and hung it on a hook next to the locker. Then she pulled off her shirt and pants before slipping into the body glove with practised ease.

As she pulled the zipper up to her neck, her omni-tool activated, encasing her left arm in its glowing radiance. Sparing it a glance, she saw it was a text message.

 **Just a heads up, the Captain wants you on deck.**

 **Joker.**

Quirking an eyebrow, she paused in her preparations and typed a reply.

 **I know. Thanks for the H.U. though.**

 **RR**

A few seconds later, the reply came.

 **I know you know. But when you take into account the elevator speed that leaves you with about a minute to get ready. Just don't want you to have another spaz attack. We both know you can't handle any vehicle that goes slower then -5kph.**

 **So yeah, try not to break it this time.**

 **Joker.**

Her lips pressed into a thin line, but her eyes danced with merriment as she typed.

 **Faster then you at least.**

 **RR**

The next message came a second later.

 **That hurts. That hurts bad, Commander.**

 **Joker.**

Smiling, she went to close the device when her eyes were drawn unexpectedly to the date, focusing on one number in particular: 2183. Sudden emotion filled her chest as she stared at the number.

Thirteen years.

Thirteen years since she had been found on Mindoir. She was twenty nine now. A sad smile came to her face as the memories flowed back: Her young life with Chakwas in London, the year of basic she had received in the Alliance, her initiation into the N7s, Skyllian Blitz... and Agaus.

Her eyes screwed shut and she reached up and clutched her shoulder as guilt washed over her. She had done all she could that day, slaughtering hundreds of pirates to protect the colonists... and then everything had gone wrong.

Forcing the thoughts aside, her hand shot into the locker again and pulled out her chest piece.

She was barely recognizable from the little girl that the good Doctor had let into her home all those years ago. She had grown, now standing just an inch sort of six feet. Her formally thin and wiry frame was now covered in a layer of coiled muscle, built up over the years of training and fighting. Her skin still retained its pale complexion, though dozens of faded scars now covered her body, evidence of the dozens of missions and brawls she'd participated in.

But the part that had changed the most was her face. The slightly round, youthful face of a teenager had narrowed, the baby fat disappearing leaving a sharp jaw in its wake. The childish excitement that had once lifted her lips was gone, leaving it a thin line beneath a sharp nose. Her messy black and red hair had been tamed a long time ago, the dark tresses reaching down to her cheeks now neatly cut and smooth, framing her silver eyes perfectly.

The chest piece was slapped on, followed shortly by greaves, bracers and gantlets. She tightened the straps with practiced ease born of years of fast deployments. In less then a minute she was fully suited up in her own personally modified Medium Phoenix IIX armor. Of course, it was painted with her signature paint job, black with red highlights. But on the chest piece, just above the N7 designation was painted a small red rose.

Nodded in satisfaction, she reached into the locker one last time, past the helmet sitting on the top shelf and to the very back. She groped around for a moment before pulling out the last piece of her gear.

Her silver rose emblem.

She smiled, fingers gently tracing the engraved flower. Out of all her possessions, few though they were, she considered this the most precious. It was her last link to her past life... to her home...her family... the past she'd been looking for everyday for the last thirteen years. Some days she thought she would never find anything. But then she would take out her silver rose and remember something Chakwas would always tell her when she was younger: 'Hope only dies if you let it.' Since then the emblem had been her source of strength, her hope for the future... and hope for the family she would find one day.

With one last look, she clipped the rose to her belt and crossed over to a footlocker next to the first. After typing in a long thirty digit code, the trunk popped open with a hiss, revealing the red and black folded up form of Crescent Rose.

With a sense of reverence, she eased the weapon out, welcoming the comforting weight of it in her arms.

The High-Velocity-Sniper-Scythe had come a long way since its humble beginnings all the way back in basic. It was still one of the largest hand held weapons in the galaxy, its folded up form almost a full meter in length. Nothing she could really do about that, it needed the space to store the segmented pieces of the blade. The rifle assembly, however, oh where to start with the upgrades? Her own custom designed triple chamber heat sync assembly, capable of three shots in rapid succession. The high-yield concussive shot mods to the barrel... in fact there were so many it was hard to keep track.

In her hands, the HVSS gave off an air of deadly beauty. After she revealed it in the defence of Elysium it had instantly gotten the attention of every eye in the galaxy. A single soldier holding off a pirate raid on her own makes a hero. If that soldier had a weapon that could cleave an enemy in two bloody halves, well... that was something else.

The controversy over Crescent Rose had made her famous in more ways then one. On one hand she was the Hero of the Blitz. If not for her speed and her giant scythe, the colony would have been burned to the ground. On the other hand, getting a name like the Crimson Reaper of Elysium had its ups and downs. There had been a whole debate if whether she should even be allowed to use Crescent Rose in combat due to... ethical reasons.

She could understand where their arguments were coming from, but she didn't really see the point. In war, people died, simple as that. How was being sliced in half by a scythe any different then being blown to bloody chunks by a grenade?

She slipped Crescent Rose over her shoulder and felt it catch on the magnetic strips on her back. She reached into the truck on last time and pulled out her personal sidearm, a heavily modified Razer IX pistol, and slapped it to her thigh.

Satisfied with her equipment, she turned towards the cargo elevator. If you had been watching from the sidelines you would have seen her standing there one second, the next she would be gone, leaving a trail of Rose petals in her wake as she used her speed for a quick run to the elevator.

Grinning with the exhilaration that using her speed brought, Ruby slapped the elevator controls. The door opened and she stepped inside, pressing the button for the crew deck and waited as it went up... and waited... and waited...

Her eye started twitching as a minute passed. Slow elevators, the archenemy to her speed. The one thing she couldn't escape no matter how hard she tried.

Just before the twitching could spread to the rest of her, the slow as hell elevator stopped and the door opened to the crew deck. With an exaggerated sigh of relief, she stepped out on the crew deck and up the ramp that led to the CIC. As she entered, crewmen stopped in their tracks, saluting as she headed towards the cockpit.

" _The Arcturus Prime Relay is in range, initiating transmission sequence,_ " Joker's voice said over the intercom.

From his station, Navigator Pressly gave a nod as she passed, an action she returned in kind.

" _We are connected. Calculating transit mass and destination... The Relay is hot, acquiring approach vector._ "

Her boots clumped against the metal flooring as she approached the cockpit. The orange glow of dozens of holographic screens clearly outlining the silhouette of a Turian in full armor standing behind the pilot seat.

" _All stations secure for transit._ "

She tapped the Turian on the shoulder as she stopped beside him, giving the familiar face a smile. Though she couldn't read Turian expressions perfectly just quite yet, the returning glance must have been something good. Still smiling, she turned, watching as the form of the Relay loomed in the cockpit windows.

" _Board is green. Approach run has begun._ "

In the pilots seat sat Joker, his fingers flying across the controls as he guided the _SSV Normandy_ along side the massive construct.

" _Hitting the Relay in three... two... one._ "

Blue lightning arched from the Relay, latching onto the _Normandy_ and propelling it at faster then light speeds across the galaxy. As the slight feeling of FTL settled over her, Ruby couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. It was something that could go faster then her. She didn't particularly like that fact.

"Thrusters... check," Joker's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Navigation... check. Internal emission sink engaged. All systems online. Drift... just under 1500k."

The Turian nodded. "Fifteen hundred is good. Your Captain will be pleased."

He turned to leave, then paused and gave her a nod of acknowledgement. "Commander."

"Nihlus," Ruby replied, returning the gesture.

Without another word he walked away.

"I hate that guy," Joker muttered, slumping in his seat.

Next to him in the co-pilot seat, Kaidan Alenko raised an eyebrow. "Nihlus gave you a complement... so you hate him?"

"You remember to zip up your jumpsuit on the way out of the bathroom? That's good. I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead. So that's incredible! Besides, Spectres are trouble. I don't like having him on board. Call me paranoid."

"Your paranoid," Kaidan deadpanned. "The Council helped fund this project. They have a right to send someone to keep an eye on their investment."

"Yeah," Joker scoffed. "That is the official story. But only an idiot believes the official story."

"So let me get this straight, Joker," Ruby said with a grin as she leaned over the back of the pilot seat. "If only an idiot believes the _official story_ , as you say, what about all those _official_ gossip articles you've been reading?"

"She's right, Joker," Kaidan grinned.

"But you have a point," she continued, suddenly growing serious. "I know Nihlus personally. He was my escort back on the Citadel when they were trying to figure out my powers. He's a good guy, but a simple shakedown run isn't his style. He says those kinds of missions are a waste of his skill."

"So there's more going on here then the Captain's letting on," Joker added, giving Kaidan a smug look.

"I never said that," Ruby protested, "I just said-"

The crackle of the radio cut her off as Captain Anderson's voice echoed through the cockpit. " _Joker! Status report._ "

"Just cleared the Mass Relay, Captain," the pilot replied, glancing at a few readouts hovering before him. "Stealth systems engaged. Everything looks solid."

" _Good. Find a comm buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime._ "

"Aye aye, Captain. Better brace yourself, sir. I think Nihlus is headed your way."

" _He's already here, Lieutenant._ "

A slap echoed through the cockpit as Ruby facepalmed, muttering to herself. "You just keep on digging yourself into a deeper hole, don't you?"

" _Tell Commander Rose to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing_." With that, the radio cut out.

Sighing, Joker looked over his shoulder. "You get that, Commander?"

"I got it," Ruby answered, pushing off the chair and heading back to the CIC. "Just need to get the chew toy first, that should hold him off."

"Not my fault!" Joker yelled to her retreating back. "The Captain always sounds angry like that."

"Only when he's talking to you, Joker," Kaidan chuckled.

Their bickering faded into the background as Ruby approached the large galaxy map in the center of CIC. Navigator Pressly stood beside one of the terminals, scowling as he continued a heated discussion with Engineer Adams over the radio.

"I'm just saying that Spectres mean trouble," the Navigator argued.

" _Just calm down, Pressly,_ " the disembodied voice of Adams sighed. " _Your gonna give yourself an ulcer at this rate._ "

"He's right, Pressly," Ruby grinning, clapping him on the shoulder, making the man jump. "You're the only Navigator we got right now. We're a little over the budget to afford a new one, so try to stay healthy please."

She missed his grumbled reply as she continued on. She was almost to the comm room door when she came across a pair of figures that blocked her way. Doctor Karin Chakwas stood there, arms crossed and an amused look on her face. Beside her was one of the younger members of the crew, Corporal Jenkins. As she drew near, the two paused in their conversation.

"Commander!" Jenkins grinned, snapping off a salute.

"At ease, Corporal," said Ruby, stopping in front of them. "And please, you don't have to salute me every time."

"Sorry ma'am," the man said. "It's just an honor to be serving under you."

"Uh-huh," she nodded with an amused smile. "I kind of got that from the fifty other times you said it."

"I-uh... sorry, ma'am," he stammered. "I-I'll just shut up now."

Chakwas let out a soft chuckle. "Corporal Jenkins here is so riled up I was ready to give some sedatives to keep him from bouncing off the walls."

"There something I should know, Corporal?" Ruby asked, raising a thin eyebrow at the marine.

"I'm just itching to see some real action, that all," he said before added sheepishly. "And... just... t-to see you fight, ma'am."

The second eyebrow joined the first. "Me?"

"You're the Hero of Elysium! I've heard the stories. They say you killed thousands of pirates that day, and that you could kill a dozen with a single slash of your scythe! I suppose that's how you get a name like the Crimson Reaper. But you're a legend, Commander! The Grim Reaper of the Alliance, the fastest woman alive. I-its just an honor to be serving along side you, Commander!"

He was too excited to notice that, as he gushed, Ruby's face quickly lost its playful look, her features becoming hard. Unconsciously her hand reached up and massaged her right shoulder, something Chakwas instantly took note of.

"Yeah," she said in a low voice, giving him a hard glare. "All that is true. But I've done a lot of things in my life that I'm not proud off. That name is only part of it. I've killed a lot of people, though some of them... didn't deserve it. I'm only a hero by circumstance, because I did what needed to be done."

She shut her eyes and her hand gripped her shoulder tighter. "I saved Elysium... and it cost me dearly. The only reason the colony is still there is because my whole team was murdered... it gave me the strength to fight on."

Her eyes opened, silver irises burning with suppressed rage. "If that is the _real action_ you want, then you don't belong here. That day I promised myself I wouldn't let anyone else die needlessly under my command. And if you put yourself in harms way just to try and impress me, I don't care what you say, you'll be off the mission. Understood?"

He gulped as the silver eyes drilled into him, but nodded all the same. "Yes ma'am."

"Good." Her features softened and she gave him a sad smile. "You have a promising career ahead of you, Jenkins. I don't want you to mess it up by doing something stupid. Just follow my orders and everything will be alright. Got it?"

He gave another salute. "Yes ma'am."

"Good man." She pulled her hand away and clapped him reassuringly on the shoulder. "Head down to the cargo bay and suit up. We don't know what's coming and I want you ready for anything."

He gave yet _another_ salute and marched to the ramp to the crew deck and that _damned_ elevator.

"And remember what I said about the salutes!" Ruby called after him.

"Yes ma'am!" came the faint reply before the marine got too far out of range.

Ruby sighed as she stared after him, the sad smile remaining on her face. She spared a brief look at Chakwas and paused. The look on the Doctor's was mixture of concern and affection and it perfectly fit the grandmotherly like woman.

"What?" she asked, shrugging.

Without warning the Doctor stepped forward, wrapping her arms around her shoulders in a hug. After the brief shock had passed, Ruby found herself returning it.

"I saw that," Chakwas whispered, nodded at her shoulder.

Ruby only hugged her tighter. "PTSD can be a bitch."

"That it can. Will you be alright?"

"Its not that bad. I won't snap on a dime...but its hard bringing them like that... it burns."

Chakwas hummed in agreement, then frowned. "They never should have put you back on duty so soon."

Ruby snorted. "Soon? I spent a good long time on the Citadel after that."

"You know what I mean. Recovering from something like that takes time. The first few missions I was worried about you, then Agaus..."

"Karin, please don't," Ruby whispered. The skin on her shoulder burned as the name was brought up.

"I'm sorry," she gasped and hugged the Commander tighter, comforting her to the best of her abilities.

"What happened to that little girl we rescued on Mindoir?" Karin asked softly, hoping to distract her. "You've changed so much I can't recognize her anymore."

"She's still in here, Karin," Ruby replied quietly, still caught up in the hug. "She just... grew up. Military life changed me, just as you said."

"Your humor is still there. That's something I guess."

"Yeah," Ruby snorted. "They couldn't beat it out of me in basic or N7 school, and the Blitz didn't completely kill it either. I think its safe to say my humor is more then bullet proof at this point."

Karin hummed in agreement, releasing her and stepping back. "Its just sometimes I miss her. But look at you now, a Commander in the Alliance navy. I just can't tell you how proud I am right now."

Ruby smiled, taking the Doctor in for another hug. "Thanks. For everything. You're the closest thing I've had to a mother these past years, so... thank you, for looking out for me. I could be a bit of handful sometimes."

"You are most welcome, Commander," Karin said, gently pushing her away. "But now enough chit-chat. The Captain is waiting for you, and we don't want another transfer shuttle incident, do we?"

"That was one time!" Ruby groaned, throwing up her arms in exasperation as she stepped around the Doctor and through the comm room door. "And it wasn't my fault the time zones changed!"

The door hissed shut, cutting off Chakwas' quiet laughter as Ruby walked down the small ramp that led to the circular communications room. Immediately she knew something was up. Captain Anderson was nowhere to been seen, but Nihlus stood alone, watching something on the main screen on the far wall.

As she approached, the Turian turned to face her, face curling into what she thought was a smile. "Miss Rose. It's good to see you again."

"The feeling is mutual, Nihlus," Ruby replied, holding out a hand which he immediately shook. "Its been... what? A year and half since we've last seen each other?"

"Five actually. I don't know why you keep on insisting you saw me at that bakery."

"Why? I said hi, you told me not to blow your cover. The fact that we interacted means we saw each other."

"I was in the middle of an important mission and you almost blew it."

"And that mission involved you getting two dozen of the finest dextro donuts?"

The room fell into silence as his mandibles twitched awkwardly.

Ruby grinned impishly. "Were they good donuts?"

"I couldn't say. As I said, that incident never happened."

Her grin only grew wider. "Sure it didn't."

"Accusations of pastries aside," Nihlus said, clearing his throat, "I have some questions about this world we're going to: Eden Prime. I've heard it's quite beautiful."

"I've heard it's a paradise," Ruby shrugged. "Can't really judge. I've never been there myself."

"Yes, a paradise. Serene, tranquil, safe. Eden Prime has become something of a symbol for your people, hasn't it? Proof that humanity can not only establish colonies across the galaxy, but also protect them. But how safe is it, really?"

Ruby crossed her arms, face guarded. "Is that a rhetorical question or are you implying something?"

"Not at all. Your people are still newcomers to the galaxy, Rose. The galaxy can be a very dangerous place. Is the Alliance truly ready for this?"

Before she could reply, the door opened, drawing them both to the form of Captain Anderson as he marched in.

"I think its time we told the Commander what's really going on," he said to Nihlus.

Nodding, Nihlus straightened importantly. "This mission is far then a simple shakedown run."

"Sounds about right," said Ruby. "Fully crewed ship, a complement of the Alliance's finest. What's the mission?"

"We're making a covert pick up on Eden Prime. That's why we needed the stealth systems operational," Anderson said.

"Just a pickup? Why all the secrecy?"

The Captain and Spectre shared a look before Anderson continued. "A few weeks ago a research team unearthed some sort of beacon during an excavation. It was Prothean."

At that, Ruby felt the all to familiar stirring in her mind, like trying to remember a long forgotten dream.

 _Beacon... Beacon..._

She brought a hand up and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to pull the meaning of the word out of the foggy blackness of her mind.

 _Beacon_... what did it mean? And... then it was gone. She silently cursed. It always slipped from her grasp, no matter how hard she tried.

"Commander?"

She looked up into Anderson's stern yet concerned face. "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No sir. It was just... memories."

Anderson nodded in understanding. "Still can't remember anything then?"

"No sir. But else can you tell me?"

"I don't think I need to tell you how important this is, Commander. The last time we made a discovery this big it jumped our technology forward two hundred years. But Eden Prime doesn't have the facilities to handle something like this. Therefore we're bringing the beacon to the Citadel for proper study."

"Obviously this goes far beyond mere human interests, Commander," Nihlus took over. "This discovery could effect every species in Citadel space, which is why the Council sent me to oversee the pickup."

"Never hurts to have a few extra hands aboard," Ruby smiled. "And it'll be good working with you again, Nihlus."

"I don't think babysitting you during your examination qualifies as working together," Nihlus interjected, but not unkindly. "However, if you insist on stopping by every weapon shop in the galaxy, the next few months will be quite... strenuous."

Ruby's brow furrowed. "Months? Whats going on?"

"The pick up isn't the only reason I'm here, Rose."

"Nihlus wants to see you in action, Commander," Anderson said. "He's here to evaluate you."

"Evaluate me?" Ruby asked before her eyes narrowed and she gave Nihlus an annoyed look. "I thought you said the Council was done examining my speed?"

"They are," Nihlus nodded. "But this isn't about your speed. The courage and determination you displayed during the Skyllian Blitz is practically legendary. You fought tooth and nail to save Elysium and its people, despite all the odds against you. Outnumbered and outgunned, yet you held them off with ease. Though your weapon of choice is... controversial at best, you showed that you would defend your people until your last breath, human and non-human alike. For that, and multiple other reasons, I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres."

"The Spect-" Ruby gasped, mouth agape as she stared at Nihlus. Her shocked face turned to Anderson. "Me? The Spectres?"

"Indeed," Anderson said with a small smile. "The Alliance has had its eye on you for longer then you think, Commander. We all believe you represent the best humanity has to offer. I won't lie to you, Rose, the Alliance has been pushing for this for a long time. Humanity wants a larger role in shaping interstellar policy. We want more say with the Citadel Council. The Spectres represent the Council's power and authority. If they accept a human into their ranks, it shows how far the Alliance has come. Earth needs this, Rose. We're counting on you."

"I need to see you skills in action, Commander," said Nihlus. "I know you've improved since the last time we saw each other, but I need more then that. Eden Prime will be the first of several missions together."

"But back to the mission at hand," the Captain took over. "You'll be in charge of the ground team, Commander. Secure the beacon and get it onto the ship ASAP. Nihlus will accompany you to observe the mission."

Ruby grinned, giving Nihlus an affectionate nudge. "So, just like old times then?"

"Hopefully not," the Turian groaned. "I didn't think the human staff of C-Sec would survive another week after that coffee prank you pulled on them."

"Hey! In my defence, Harkin was an asshole and deserved it."

"...Can't argue with that."

"We should be getting close to Eden Prime," Anderson stepped in. "I'll-"

" _Captain!_ " Joker's urgent voice interrupted over the intercom. " _We have a problem._ "

Anderson looked up to the speakers hidden in the ceiling. "What's wrong, Joker?"

" _Transmission from Eden Prime, sir. You better see this!_ "

His face turning grim, the Captain turned to the main screen. "Bring it up on screen."

The three of the watched as the screen flickered once before erupting into chaos. It was the grainy feed from someone's helmet cam, jerking back and forth, showing split second images of marines firing at unknown hostiles. The overwhelming sound of gunfire pervaded over all. Suddenly, the bearer of the camera was shoved to the ground, the black dirt of Eden Prime filling the screen for a moment before it shifted again, revealing the panicked face of a marine.

" _We are under attack!_ " the man shouted, ducking as more rounds flew by his head. " _Taking heavy causalities. I repeat: Heavy causalities! We can't... argh!... -eed evac! They came out of nowhere! We need-_ "

A bloody hole erupted from the marine's chest. Ruby winced as blood splattering the feed with flecks of red as the body collapsed to the ground.

The helmet wearer was starting to panic, the feed jerking back and forth as a loud, overpowering thrumming overcame the gunfire. The feed stabilized for a moment, staring up into the sky as what looked like a gigantic metallic hand, crackling with red lightning reached down from the sky. The feed jerked one last time before cutting to static, leaving the three in stunned silence.

" _Everything cuts out after that,_ " said Joker. " _No comm traffic at all. Just goes dead. There's nothing._ "

Anderson's eyes narrowed. "Reverse and hold at 38.5."

The video rewound, pausing on the monstrosity falling from the sky. Now that she could see it clearly, Ruby thought it looked like the prow of a ship. She could just barely see the aft of the vessel, hidden by clouds in the dark sky.

But there was something else about it. A feeling of... wrongness emanated from the vessel. A shiver went down her spine as she stared. Whatever that _thing_ was, it didn't belong here.

"Status report!" Anderson barked.

" _Seventeen minutes out, Captain. No other Alliance ships in the area._ "

A grim silence settled over the group. They were on their own.

The Captain took a steadying breath. "Take us in Joker. Fast and quiet. This mission just got a lot more complicated."

"A small strike team can move quickly without drawing attention," Nihlus said, turning to Anderson. "It's our best chance to secure the beacon."

Anderson nodded in agreement. "Grab your gear and meet us in the cargo hold."

The Turian turned and hurried out of the comm room. As the door shut behind him, Ruby glanced at the Captain.

"What about the colony?" she asked, her earlier playful attitude gone. "We can't just pickup and abandon them."

"We're doing all we can, Commander," said Anderson. "You might have held off an invasion before on the ground, but the _Normandy_ is one ship. We can't fight off an invasion fleet by ourselves."

He rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know how much this means to you, but the beacon is our top priority. Understood?"

She glared at him for moment before nodding stiffly. "Understood, sir."

"Tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up. You're going in hot."

* * *

 **Updated: March 7, 2017**


	5. Eden Prime P2

The helmet slipped over her hair with ease, attaching to the bodysuit with a slight hiss. Beside her, the armored forms of Kaidan and Jenkins did the same, checking all their equipment as they did so.

The deck beneath her feet shuttered as the _Normandy_ cut through the atmosphere of Eden Prime.

Across from the three man fireteam stood Captain Anderson, watching something on his omni-tool as they waited for the drop zone. Behind him, Nihlus went over his own equipment. Though her obsession with weapons hadn't faded over the years, she had learned to contain her reactions. Still, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the rather plain Spectre gear HMWSG Master-line shotgun he carried. Granted, it was an upgrade from that last shotgun he had, but she had upgraded that one personally. She was sure it was ten times better then the Master-line model. It had been the prototype for the upgrades for Crescent Rose... but nothing would ever be greater then Crescent Rose, of course.

She quickly reached a hand over her shoulder and touched the grip of the HVSS, confirming it was still there. A quick slap to her thigh said the same for her pistol. She crossed her arms, settling down to wait as the _Normandy_ shook again. A frown creased her lips.

She didn't like the turn this mission had taken. Picking up the beacon was something she could do in her sleep, blindfolded. But to walk through a suffering colony to get there was something she couldn't ignore. She had been furious with Anderson before, even if years of training with N7s kept the emotion off her face, about leaving the colony to burn. But after a few minutes of thinking, the sad reality had dawned on her: There was likely no one left to save.

They didn't know how long ago the attack started, either a few hours or even days, giving this unknown enemy plenty of time to work. For all they knew the whole colony could have been wiped out by now. If that was the case, the likelihood the anyone survived was small, and dropping by the second.

Her eyes screwed shut as she fought back to the painful memories that resurfaced.

It was the damn Blitz all over again... only worse. Back then she was too slow... now she was too late all together to do anything.

"Shepard... guys..." she whispered as the faces of her old teammates flashed before her eyes. "I'm so sorry..."

"Your team's the muscle in this operation commander," Anderson shouted over the racket. "Go in heavy and head straight for the dig site."

"What about survivors, Captain?" Kaidan asked.

"Helping survivors is a secondary objective. The beacon's your top priority," the Captain replied as the large cargo bay doors hissed open, letting in the rushing wind and blood red sky of the planet.

" _Approaching drop point one,_ " Joker's voice echoed over the wind.

At that, Nihlus stepped forward, looking over the edge of the ramp to the surface racing past below.

"Nihlus, you're coming with us?" Ruby heard Jenkins shout behind her.

The Turian shook his head. "I move faster on my own."

The _Normandy_ slowed before coming to a stop, hovering above the ground. Nihlus took one last look before jumping, vanishing beneath the lip of the ramp. With him gone, the _Normandy_ sped up once again, heading to the second drop point.

"Nihlus will scout out ahead," Anderson shouted. "He'll feed you status reports throughout the mission; otherwise, I want radio silence."

"Understood, Captain," Ruby said as the Normandy slowed a second time. Before it had come to a complete stop she was already moving to the edge of the ramp and taking in their landing zone.

"Wait, Commander!" she heard Kaiden shout behind her as she prepared herself. "We're still thirty meters up!"

Silly Kaiden, of course she knew that. As the Normandy came to a complete stop, she looked back, gave their shocked expressions a quick wink and jumped, spreading her arms as the feeling of weightlessness took hold. She shut her eyes as the wind rushed past, savoring the feeling as she tucked in her arms, straightening her body as she corkscrewed through the air, approaching the ground at a worrying rate.

At the last possible second, she pulled out of the manoeuvre, getting her feet beneath her as she hit the ground with a hard jolt, landing in a crouch. The shock that went up her legs was less then it should have been as the kinetic dampening systems built into her boots took most of the landing. As the shock passed, she slowly straightened, taking in her surrounding with a critical eye.

She had landed on a cliff surrounded by trees overlooking one of the oceans of Eden Prime. The deep would have looked beautiful any other day, if not for the blood red sky that hung over it.

Behind her, the downdraft of the Normandy washed over her as the ship descend, reaching a height that was safe for the two others to jump from.

She drew her pistol, waiting until the Normandy flew off and she heard the two pairs of boots settling into formation behind her.

"You two ready?" she asked, eyes still wary.

"Affirmative, Commander," came Kaidens reply.

"Alright," she grunted, spotting a path that followed the edge of the cliff. "Form up on me."

Weapons up, they moved down the path, keeping a careful eye on their surroundings. This place seemed perfect for an ambush. Though the Corporal wasn't anywhere near as focused as he should be. Though she couldn't see him, Ruby could _feel_ the glances he sent to the HVSS hanging from her back. Though she had gotten those looks before, usually they were directed a little lower. Such was the pain of being attractive. But having been asked the same question multiple times on various missions, she knew the question he was dying to ask.

But it was causing him to lose focus, and that was something she couldn't allow to happen. Not out here.

"Eyes wide, Corporal," she said, sternly.

Instantly Jenkins looked away, eyes quickly scanning the area in front of them through his iron sights. Ruby watched him intently for a moment.

"You do know where we are, right?" she asked, shifting her gaze to watch for hostiles.

"Yes ma'am," Jenkins said, somewhat ashamed.

"In the middle of potential hostile territory," she continued, softening her voice. "Now is not the time to get distracted. Is that understood?"

"Yes ma'am."

They continued on for a few more meters before Ruby sighed. She could still feel him looking at her. "If you need to say something just say it, okay?"

Jenkins jumped, fumbling for his rifle before he steadied himself. "Well, I, uh..."

"Let me guess, you want to ask why I'm not pulling out the giant scythe on my back, right?"

"Yes ma'am," he admitted shamefully. "Its just... I can't help but think it'd be useful right now."

"I'll be the judge of that, Corporal," Ruby said, giving the man a cold look. As she turned back to the trail, her mind dipped into places were it shouldn't.

Useful?

...Well that was one way to saying it.

But she shouldn't have been that hard on him. He didn't know why she restrained herself from using the massive blade or why she only used the powerful weapon in its sniper mode. That, at least she could use without consequence. But when the massive blade came out it stood as a painful reminder what she'd done... and what she was also capable of doing again.

"Just keep an eye out, Jenkins," she continued in a softer tone. "Again; enemy territory here."

The Corporal swallowed, then nodded. "Understood ma'am."

"Good," Ruby smiled, the first one since touching down on the surface. "Now let's move. Be ready for anything."

She glanced down a small creak and paused as she saw the strange creatures floating above it. "Like... floating ball-sacks... apparently."

Jenkins chuckled. "They're Gas Bags, Commander. Creatures native to Eden Prime. They're completely harmless."

"Huh. You learn something new everyday."

Proceeding in silence they worked their way along the cliff. The information Nihlus feed them over the radio wasn't anything helpful, just bodies everywhere. Again Ruby felt disgusted with herself. They should have gotten here sooner... _she_ should have gotten her sooner. She was the Grim Reaper of Elysium, dammit! She could have saved these people.

But orders were orders... dammit.

Suddenly she stopped, sinking into a crouch as she scanned the area ahead through her scope.

The cliff edge had widened, leaving a large section of bare rock and dirt. Boulders dotted the area making ideal spots for cover. On the far side the path continued, turning sharply into a thicket of trees.

Everything looked clear.

She signalled Jenkins to move up, tracking his progress through her scope as he began weaving between the large rocks.

He reached a piece of cover in the form of a large boulder, slamming his back against it and pushing his rifle around the edge. For a moment, he remained frozen in that position, searching for hostiles. Then he pulled back, flashing the hand signal for all clear.

Then disaster struck.

As he reached the middle of the area, two grey combat drones darted out from behind one of the largest boulders. The Corporal didn't even have time to scream as their mounted guns opened fire, tearing through his barriers with ease and erupting out his back in a bloody spray.

Ruby felt her heart stop as the body collapse to the ground, his dead eyes still open in silent terror, staring deep into her very soul.

The horror at what she was seeing lasted only a split second before it was replaced with burning rage. She had lost her first team in the Blitz, she'd lost countless others in the following years... Agaus... now she had lost Jenkins...

Without thinking she brought Crescent Rose to bare and fired. It's deep, thunderous retort echoed over the countryside as the drone simply ceased to exist as the high calibre shot passed through. The second was given no time to react as a clean burst from Kaiden's Assault rifle finished it off.

With the threats dealt with, they stepped forward, stopping above the body.

Her face a mask of stone, Ruby watched as Kaiden knelt down and gently closed the eyes of the fallen marine. As she stared at the frozen face, images flashed behind her eyes. A cloud of missiles streaking towards a lonely cafe, five mangled bodies, burned beyond all recognition... The face of a young man looking up in horror as a flash of silver descended.

Her shoulder burned beneath her armor and she fought to keep her hands clenched at her sides. Her PTSD was rearing its ugly head again. The faces of all those that she had lost flashed behind her eyes... and that young man.

She shut her eyes, fighting to keep the tears in. But as did, the familiar rage started to build inside her, gathering at single point behind her eyes which burned like fire. She wanted to lash out at all those who would take those she cared about and only the years of N7 school kept the pain and rage contained. But that didn't mean she wasn't gonna make them pay.

"Ripped right through his shields," Kaiden said sadly, raising to his feet. "Never had a chance."

"We'll mark his body for pick up," Ruby growled, hating herself for saying it as she turned back to the path through the woods. "Form up, Lieutenant. We have a job to do."

They had scarcely made it into the woods before they were attacked again. Half a dozen drones popped out from behind the trees, their guns focused on the pair.

With one smooth motion, Ruby holstered Crescent Rose and snatched up her pistol, aiming and destroying a drone with the first shot. Her aim wasn't legendary in the Alliance for nothing. Drone after drone fell from the sky as burning wreckage. It didn't matter that they weaved in and out of the trees, if she saw them they were as good as dead.

As the last drone crashed to the ground, Ruby stomped forward, ignoring Kaiden's pleas to stay in cover as she stormed up the path. She had just reached the top of a hill over looking a canyon when she heard the shots.

From far down the canyon a lone marine came running, chased by two more of the strange drone. Before Ruby could move to help, the marine threw herself to the ground, landing on her back and taking out the drones with a few well aimed shots from her pistol.

Ruby let out a sigh of relief as she saw the marine rise, looking back down the canyon. Her relief was short lived, however, as she saw what the marine was looking at. A body, impaled high above the ground on a strange metal spike. Around the sinister device stood two figures, their heads jutting forward strangely. As their heads turned to the marine, Ruby could see the single bright eye imbedded in the center of their heads like a cyclops.

Not people then... machines. Robots... _Geth_.

The marine turned to run again, but the Geth troopers brought their weapons to bear, spraying her with fire. Her shields broke, shots grazing her legs as she stumbled then fell hard, her pistol flying from her hands. She was defenceless.

The Geth moved in quick, surrounding her as she went to draw another weapon. A kick to the stomach quickly discouraged that action.

Ruby watched it all, fists shaking with suppressed rage. Then something seemed to snap inside her. The pain behind her eyes intensified. With it came a clarity unlike any she'd ever experienced. Her vision narrowed to single point, focused on the two machines that were about to take another life from her.

Not again.

With deliberate slowness, she holstered her pistol before reaching back for Crescent Rose. The weapon unfolded in her hands as it was drawn, the segmented blade unfurling with a rasp of cold steel. Sparkling silver eyes narrowed as she brandished the fully formed scythe, twirling it around her body with practised ease.

 _Never again._

-Linebreak-

She was going to die.

For some reason, the thought didn't scare her as much as it should have. All Ashley Williams could do was glare with hate at the two robots that surrounded her, lips drawn back in a snarl.

Geth stared down at her, unblinking blue optics never wavering as they considered the human at their feet, pulse rifles never leaving her prone form. She glanced to the side, spotting her pistol lying a good two meters away. She would never reach it in time. They'd pump her full of rounds before she could even twitch... so why weren't they?

"Well?" she snarled. "Just get it over with."

The Geth chipped to each other in their strange machine language. Then one looked back to where they had impaled the poor colonist. Ashley followed it's gaze and paled, fear erupting for the first time as their intentions slowly dawned on her.

"You'll have to kill me first," she growled, glaring in cold defiance, hand inching towards the shotgun holstered on her hip.

The Geth ignored her words completely, both reaching out their hands to grab her and drag her back to those... _things_.

The wind shifted just then. As the cold hands grabbed her wrists with unnatural quickness, a light breeze rolled over them, bring with it a strange scent that didn't belong on the battlefield.

 _Roses?_

Then three things happened at once.

The first was the blast of air and the black and red blur that shot past, trailing rose petals in it's wake. There was a rasp of steel as a silver blade cleaved through the two robots, decapitating them in a single swipe. As the four parts of the former Geth collapsed to the ground, a figure loomed behind them, standing tall against the blood red sky.

The figure, a woman clothed in pitch black armor with red highlights, brandishing the largest scythe Ashley had ever seen in an elegant pose that looked like it belonged on the dance floor rather then a battlefield.

Of course Ashley had heard the stories. The stories of an N7 who could run faster then a speeding skycar. She had read some article somewhere that claimed she was the first being in the galaxy to born with supernatural powers that couldn't be traced through science. In the years she'd served in the Alliance, there wasn't one marine she'd met who didn't know her name:

The Hero of Elysium.

The Crimson Reaper of the Blitz.

Commander Ruby Rose.

Ashley blinked, mouth open in shock. She never thought she'd be saved, much less that it would be Commander Rose who'd be coming to her rescue.

The blade of the scythe embedded itself in the ground next to her feet with a loud earthy thud, causing her to jump at it's proximity. That thing could cleave through solid steel with ease, she didn't want it anywhere near her. Then the Commander reached down, offering her a hand.

"You all right, marine?" she asked, voice as cold as steel, yet carrying a soft undertone of concern.

Ashley could only flinch back as their eyes locked. Through the Commander's visor she could see her eyes as plan as day. It could have been her imagination, but she would have sworn that her eyes were glowing a burning silver, shining through the darkened glass. But for all she knew, it could have been a trick of the light. Still, she nodded mutely as she took the offered hand and was pulled to her feet with surprising strength.

"Y-yes ma'am," she stammered, giving a quick salute. "Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212."

Behind the clear visor of the black helmet, silver eyes blinked at her. "Where's the rest of your unit?"

"Dead ma'am. The Geth caught us in an ambush while we were patrolling the perimeter. I-I'm the only one who made it."

If it was possible, the silver orbs grew even colder. "And where is the beacon?"

Ashley pointed back the way she came. "Down that way, ma'am. Last I saw it was still at the dig site."

"How far?"

"About a hundred meters. Ma'am."

The Commander nodded stiffly, then looked past her back up the canyon. As Ashley followed her gaze she saw another armored marine running toward them, following the trail of fading rose petals left in the Commander's wake.

"About time, Alenko," Rose grunted, grabbing onto the shaft of Crescent Rose and ripping the blade out of the ground with terrifying ease before propping it over her shoulder. She glanced at Ashley. "Stay here with the Lieutenant. Move up when the shooting stops."

Commander?" the marine, Alenko, panted as he pulled up beside her.

"You will wait here until I clear the area," Rose repeated sternly. As Alenko opened his mouth to reply she shot him the coldest glare Ash had ever seen. "That's an order, Lieutenant."

She hefted her scythe, twirling it around her body with such speed and grace that Ashley couldn't help but stare in awe, before pointing it behind her, body poised to run.

"I'm not losing anyone else today," Ashley heard her growl. Then she pulled the trigger.

-Linebreak-

Crescent Rose let out a thunderous boom as it fired, the loaded concussive shot generating enough enough kick to send a full ton Krogan staggering. For Ruby, it was just a boost of acceleration. As the recoil propelled her forward she called upon her speed, pulling the power from deep inside her as she started running.

The effect: accelerating from zero to almost three hundred Kph in less then a second.

In the blink of an eye, she had gone from standing still to racing down the canyon, a red streak in the air, trailing rose petals in her wake. The air flowing around her body would have been a relaxing experience, if she wasn't so pissed off. They had wiped out the colony, killed everyone and killed her crew.

A lot of people had seen her fight. Lots knew what she was capable of. But it was the words of Admiral Hackett that summed up her current temperament: 'Where there's war, the Grim Reaper isn't far behind.' If the Geth had come thinking the colony, or even the beacon would be an easy target, then they had no idea what was coming.

The canyon turned right suddenly, opening into the dig site. She instantly spotted the six Geth troops patrolling the area, none the wiser to the specter of death approaching.

The first was given no time to react. She dashed over, trailing petals as Crescent Rose came up, the blade cleaving the Geth in two, from hip to shoulder.

It was only thanks to the Geth's networked intelligence that they realized she was there, but by then it was already to late.

She was a crimson streak in the air, running faster then the eye could follow, darting from Geth to Geth with ease. In a matter of seconds she stood alone in the dig site, Crescent Rose brandished behind her back as she surveyed the carnage around her.

Of the Geth, only sparking parts and shrapnel remained. The white hydraulic fluid that flowed through their bodies like blood was splattered everywhere, staining the soil white. Crescent Rose was even worse, the white fluid dripping off the blade like a summer rain. Her armor was drenched in it, the white splattered on like some messed up child's painting.

This was the point the common sense should have taken over. This had all happened before and she knew how it was going to end. And if someone got in her way... the rational part of her mind didn't dare think about it. But the heat building behind her eyes, mixed with the anger towards the Geth overrode rational thought.

She would kill them all. Every single last one... just like in the Blitz... just like Agaus.

Looking up, she quickly scanned the dig site, both for more hostiles and their objective. Though she had no idea what it looked like, she couldn't see any Prothean looking beacons anywhere.

The sound of running feet alerted her to the others catching up. As they entered the dig site she her them stop, gaping in shock at the carnage. Sure, the Geth may have been machines, but this was brutality on a whole new scale.

"It's not here," Ruby growled without looking back.

"I-uh," Ashley stammered, eyeing the still body of a trooper missing half it's torso. "I-it must have been moved."

"Where?"

"I-I don't know. The space port maybe. I heard the researchers talk about it this morning."

"Which way?"

Ashley pointed to one end of the dig site where a ramp led out of the site. "There, through the research camp."

Eyeing the ramp dubiously, Ruby cleaned Crescent Rose with a practised swing before stalking forward with the others following behind. The longer this mission went on, the longer they were in danger... and she refused to let anyone else die on her watch. No matter what it took.

The research camp was destroyed when they got there, the prefabricated settlers were blown to pieces and fires blazed in the windows of those still intact. The glow of the flames only added to the rage that burned inside her.

As the approached the path out of the camp and to the space port, they noticed more of the strange spikes scattered around. Then they saw the colonists impaled on them. The rage Ruby had before was dulled by the horror and disgust at what she saw.

The colonists had changed. Their skin had turned a sickly grey and they were covered in glowing blue implants from head to toe.

"What did the Geth do to them," she heard Ashley gasp.

Then the spikes started retracting into their bases, the bodies sliding off onto the ground below. For a moment nothing happened. Then the bodies started moving, staggering to their feet and turning their dead eyes towards them. There was no trace of the people they once were. That was all the prompting Ruby needed.

She dashed forward, Crescent Rose spinning. In a few seconds she stood alone, the decapitated corpses falling around her, their heads hitting the ground shortly afterword.

She felt no remorse, even as she screamed on the inside. She couldn't save them when they were alive, now she couldn't even protect them in death. Now, all she could do was her job. She was called the Reaper for a reason, after all.

Ignoring Ashley and Kaidan's looks of shock and horror, she turned back to the path leading to the space port. She had just taken her first step when the gunshot echoed through the air, stopping her. It was to deep to be a Geth pulse rifle, yet not deep enough to be a sniper. A heavy pistol then? But Geth didn't use them. The only other person on the mission to have one was...

Nihlus.

She shot forward, leaving her team in the dust as she sped down the path, coming to a stop on a hill over looking the space port.

There, resting on the horizon and towering over the surrounding landscape was the ship. The same monstrosity they'd seen in the SOS. As she watched, it let out a sound, a low deep thrumming that sent a shiver down her spine. But there was something else... something deeper then that, so deep she almost missed it. Like voices whispered from a great distance. Then it pushed off the ground, flying off into the sky.

Giving it one last look, she turned her gaze to the spaceport. It was crawling with Geth and more of the... _husks_ of colonists. Giving the area a quick scan she counted no less then twenty wandering the area.

A plan forming in her mind, she bolted towards her first victim, a Geth trooper patrolling the outskirts. It had no time to react as Crescent Rose sliced through it's torso with ease. Instantly her sights were set on the next target, the Geth on the platform who finally realized their friend wasn't responding. They were shown no mercy as her blade tore them to pieces in a whirlwind of flashing steel. The few husks that staggered to their feet discovered their heads missing from their shoulders as she blazed through their midst, leaving a trail of crimson petals in her wake.

Back and forth she ran, the world becoming a blur around her. She knew nothing but anger, felt nothing but the ground beneath her feet and saw nothing but the next target. And yet... she felt so at ease, like she belonged here. And all the while her eyes burned in their sockets like hot coals.

In less then a minute the port was clear, the mutilated bodies of Geth and husks decorating the area and leaving her standing in the middle of it all. She payed little attention to the fluids that drenched her armor as she took in the devastation.

She was too far gone now. The anger had swept her away like a river. All she could focus on was the mission and the next enemy in her sights.

A minute later, she heard Ashley and Kaiden run up. Though they said nothing, she knew from experience what they were thinking.

Pushing that aside she gave them a cold look. "Secure the area."

They carried out her orders without a word, moving to the main landing platform leaving Ruby to nudge one of the bodies with her boot.

She had asked herself that question more times then she could count. _What_ was she? What life could she possibly have led before Mindoir to be capable of such destruction.

"Commander!" Kaiden's shout jerked her back to alertness. It took her a mere second to determine where the shout came from before vanishing in a cloud of petals, reappearing next to the two marines on the platform with a gust of wind.

"Lieutenant?" she asked, taking in Kaiden kneeling next to the dead body of Nihlus...

...Nihlus...

The world seemed to freeze around her as the image sank in.

Nihlus... _dead_...

"Friend of yours, Commander?" Ashley asked hesitantly, edging away from her as Ruby's stony expression slowly twisted into a snarl.

"Yes," she growled between clenched teeth. Nihlus's face flashed behind her eyes, but this time there was no pain the loss... only rage at the ones who had done this.

"Direct shot to the back of the head," Kaiden reported grimly, standing again. "And at close range too."

Ashley shook her head, casting Kaiden a questioning look. "But if he was a Spectre like you said, how did the Geth...

"It wasn't the Geth," Ruby cut her off. "Nothing could sneak up on him like that. And if there was a fight we would have heard it. He was lured in somehow."

"But how-" Kaiden started to ask before his gaze shot over to a pile of crates gathered at one end of the platform. "Wait! Something's moving behind those crates."

She was gone in a burst of rose petals, Crescent Rose raised as she skirted the crates and brought the blade down... only to stop, the tip an inch away from flesh.

It wasn't a hostile, she realized. It was a man. Dressed in dock worker overalls, he lay in a heap on the deck, frozen in fear as the blade hovered at his neck.

A momentary burst of relief ran through her. There were survivors after all. But it was all overshadowed by her anger, boiling to the surface as she scowled down at him.

"What were you thinking?" she snarled. "Sneaking up on us like that nearly got you killed."

The man whimpered unintelligibly, eyes darting back and forth between her face and the tip of her scythe. She regarded him coldly for a moment, then pulled the blade away. And not a moment too soon. Ashley and Kaidan rounded the crates, weapons up and ready. No doubt the sight of her threatening a civilian wouldn't have gone over well.

"I-I just heard y-you taking," the man stammered. "I-I thought you were human."

"Obviously we are," Ashley muttered, lowering her rifle.

"You were hiding here the whole time?" Ruby demanded, glaring at him. "Through the whole attack?"

The man nodded shakily.

"Then you must have seen who killed Nihlus, didn't you?"

The man nodded again. "U-uh yeah. I-It was another Turian. Your friend seemed to know him and called him by name. Uh... Saren, I think it was.

"Saren," Ruby growled, hand tightening on Crescent Rose. She knew that name.

"Y-yes," he stammered edging away. "Then he just... s-shot him in the back."

Ruby face turned thunderous. First, countless colonists, Jenkins and now Nihlus. Her vision flashed silver as she shot out a hand and grabbed the man by the collar and yanked him up so they were eye to eye.

"Where did he go?" she growled, silver eyes burning into him.

"T-t-the second landing p-platform," he whimpered. "T-that's where the b-beacon was moved this morning. H-he took the tram. That's the only way to get there... please don't hurt me."

She dropped him, letting him fall to the ground in a sprawling heap and headed off to the far end of the space dock where the tram waited. The Geth that stood in her way were shown no mercy as she rocketed past, cutting them to pieces with ease. They started up the tram without trouble and soon they were speeding off. The closer they got, the more Ruby let the rage consume her.

Saren.

She'd met the bastard before. On the Citadel, when Nihlus had taken her for a tour of the massive station. He'd called her a freak, a bastard who had no place in the galaxy. And that was only the tip of the iceberg. Then came his rant about humans in general. Suffice to say, it wasn't the best of introductions.

After he'd left, Nihlus tried to apologize for the conduct of his fellow Spectre and mentor. But her mind was already made up. He was an asshole, pure and simple. But never, in all her craziest imaginings did she think he would betray his own friend. Shoot him in the back in cold blood. But more then that, if he was here and working with the Geth... then he'd gone rouge, allying himself with the Geth to wipe out a human colony. What other reason was there for killing Nihlus? But why Eden Prime? There were dozens of other human colonies that would have been easier targets then this, right in the middle of Alliance space. What made Eden Prime so special?

She thought about it for a moment, then cursed herself for being so stupid.

The beacon. It was the beacon he was after. That was the only thing it could be. Now she had even more reason to find that bloody thing. And if Saren was there, then that was just an added bonus. A Spectre he may be, it wouldn't protect him from her.

Off in the distance the second platform drew closer. She shifted Crescent Rose back into it's rifle form and peered through the scope at what they were facing. It wasn't very comforting. No less then twenty Geth platforms patrolled the area, she couldn't see any Husks, but that didn't mean they weren't there.

A Geth kneeing next to a large device caught her attention. A closer look revealed it to be a bomb, a big one. Big enough to level the whole colony.

Not on her watch.

"Incoming Geth," she said, shifting Crescent Rose back into scythe form and giving it a twirl. "They're priming explosive devices. I can only identify one on the tram station, but there may be more. I'll take care of the Geth, you two disarm the bombs. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am," came Kaidan's acknowledgement. Ashley merely nodded.

The tram began to slow, before pulling into the station. The instant it did, Ruby was off, leaving a cloud of petals in her wake. The Geth arming the bomb found itself missing its head a moment later as she flashed by.

As the remaining Geth turned to face her, she channelled her speed into her legs and jumped, firing Crescent Rose downward as she did so. The resulting recoil propelled her upward high into the air. She hung there for a moment, relishing a cold breeze before she fell from on high into the largest group of Geth, her scythe gleaming with murderous intent. A Geth trooper was crushed beneath her as she landed, smashing it's head with an armored boot as Crescent Rose cleaved a Geth shock trooper in two.

Then she lost herself in the flow. There was no conscious thought. If she saw a Geth, it died. No mercy, no remorse. There was nothing left in her but her rage and hatred. They slaughtered this colony and killed her men. They would all die.

She darted back and forth, dodging the bursts of fire with ease, swinging Crescent Rose with precision.

As she bisected one of the last troopers she ducked at the last second, sliding on her knees under a shotgun blast from a Geth Destroyer as blazed overhead. As she slid past its legs she swung, becoming a hurricane of steel as she slashed its legs out from under it and cutting its body in half with the same stroke.

Ruby jumped to her feet as the body fell and she saw the last three Geth running down a ramp to a lower platform. She snarled and charged after them.

There they chose to make their last stand, rifles pointing at her unwavering, seemingly fearless in the face of death.

But their formation sparked something inside her, pushing past the burning rage.

As she ran at the first Geth trooper her vision flashed. Suddenly she wasn't on Eden Prime, but on a calm grassy plain surrounded by prefabricated shelters. And the Geth turned into an old woman, a vacant expression on her face.

Then her vision flashed back to normal and she slashed the trooper in half, jumping over a hail of fire from the second.

She fired downward once to get more altitude then dove at it. To her horror, the face of a young boy stared up at her, awe struck as the weapon descended.

Then she landed, crushing the flashlight head with the pommel of her scythe.

But her mind was in chaos. Her vision flashed before her eyes, blending reality with a nightmare. The burning behind her eyes intensified and her shoulder blazed as dozens of faces floated before her, screaming in agony.

This was what she had feared.

Then the last Geth dared to approach her as she knelt their over its fallen compatriot.

She lunged at it, fighting past the faces that engulfed her vision, and swung Crescent Rose one final time.

But the Geth wasn't there anymore.

A young man stood in its place, clad in standard Alliance armor. He had just turned the corner, the pistol in his hands smoking from the shot, not realizing he had fired in his nervousness. His face, about to sigh in relief at her presence warped into pure terror as the scythe descended towards him.

Ruby was forced to watch was the gleaming blade cut through his armor like a hot knife through butter, stabbing him through the heart with barely a whisper.

His face was frozen in shock and fear, dead eyes staring up into hers. They seemed locked in that gaze for an eternity, all the while his youthful eyes, now clouded with death could only ask one question:

 _Why?_

Then momentum carried her on, cleaving the body in two with a spray of crimson blood.

She collapsed to the platform, sliding along the smooth metal on her knees until she stopped, gasping and staring mutely at the plating. Her heart was pounding and her limbs trembled as she replayed the terrible scene again and again in her mind, her shoulder burning with all the heat of the sun itself.

Horrified, she looked over her shoulder. There lay the body of a Geth trooper, its chest torn open, leaking the white hydraulic fluid.

But the sight of it didn't bring any relief. Instead, raging terror coursed through her, washing away the anger and the fire that burned behind her eyes, even as her shoulder burned anew.

That was him, she thought, staring back the broken body, the terrible scene replaying in her mind. Guilt swallowed her whole and tears threatened to leak down her face.

It wasn't her fault... it wasn't... it wasn't

But no matter how many times she repeated it to herself, the terrible reality would always come back to haunt her.

Crescent Rose dropped to the platform with clatter as she slowly crawled to her feet. She couldn't bare to look at it, not after remembering what she'd done. But she wouldn't break down. Not here. Not in the middle of a mission.

Clawing her mind away she turned finally saw what they were looking for. There, at the far end of the platform, stood the Prothean beacon, pulsing with a green energy.

"Bombs are disarmed, Commander," Kaidan report as he ran down the ramp, Ashley following close behind. "We found four in total. Got them with just enough time to spare."

Then he saw her expression. "Are you alright, Commander?"

Ruby nodded mutely, turning away from the beacon and activated her comm. "Normandy, this is Rose. Hostiles are eliminated and beacon is secure. Awaiting pick up." Even to her ears her voice sounded deader then a corpse.

" _Copy that, Commander_ ," Joker's voice rang in her helmet. " _And... you okay, Commander? You sound a little-_ "

"Pick up. Now," she snapped, cutting him off before ending the link. She was not in the mood to be dealing with his antics.

She turned back to the beacon, watching as the two marines closed in around it. They were having a quiet conversation, but it was apparent that Kaidan was in awe of the Prothean device. As Ashley turned to secure the area, Kaidan took another step closer to examine the beacon in greater detail.

Suddenly, the beacon lit up, the green energy around it flaring brightly. Tendrils of light reached, wrapping themselves around the lieutenant, pulling him forwards towards it. Though he struggled, he couldn't break free.

Moving without conscious thought, Ruby dashed forward, earlier fear forgotten.

She wouldn't lose another one. Not again.

She wrapped her arms around him and with a great heave, tore him out of the beacon's grasp and threw him to the side. Before she herself could get away the tendrils turned on her, wrapping around her with unnatural strength and started pulling her in. Try though she might, she couldn't break free. Even her speed, something that she could always rely on, could do nothing.

Then the tendrils pulled her into the air, allowing her to hang before the beacon. Then pain. Mind breaking pain as images flashed behind her eyes.

She saw pain... destruction... death... A sky painted black as unspeakable horrors descended, blood red beams destroying everything in their path. Bodies twisted in agony, fleets falling from the sky, armies crushed...

... A pair of lavender colored eyes... and a voice...

" _... I can't believe my little sister is coming to beacon with me!..._ "

Then everything went black.

-Linebreak-

 _Her eyes snapped open and she shot up, looking around in a panic._

 _She was... nowhere. An infinite plan of whiteness surrounded her. But the floor was solid... if it could be called that._

 _Groaning, Ruby rose to her feet, carefully scanning the area. Her whole body ached all over. She hadn't felt this bad since her early days in N7 school. She reached up and removed her helmet, massaging her forehead._

 _What was that? Those images. A war?... And what were those eyes?_

" _ **You are not from here."**_

 _She jumped as the voice echoed around her, spinning on her heels and looking for the speaker. But again, there was nothing._

" _ **You are not from here,** " the voice repeated._

" _Who are you?" she shouted back, deciding up was the best way to look._

" _ **You are of this cycle... yet you are not,** " it said, sounding confused. " **Human... yet more.** "_

 _Her brow furrowed. "Cycle?... What?"_

 _For a minute voice said nothing. "Y **ou are not from here. You are from** **that** **place.** **The one** **she** **spoke of.** "_

" _O-other place?" she asked, breath catching in her throat. "What are you talking about?"_

" _ **I understand** **her words** **now.** **You were pulled from your place. Put in this cycle, but you are not part of it. You remain separate** **from your species... a** **r** **emnant** **of a long lost** **world** **.** "_

Remnant...

 _Suddenly, another image came to her. A planet, hanging in space. Behind it, the half of a shattered moon cast it's dusty light on the bright green and blue continents and oceans. As she gazed upon it, a feeling came to her, something she'd never felt before._

 _Longing. A deep, aching longing deep in her heart._

"...I can't believe my little sister is coming to beacon with me!... _"_

 _Remnant._

 _Home._

" _ **Your signal is fading,** " the voice said, growing fainter in the whiteness. " **You must find me. The darkness is coming.** **The Order has long since passed into nothing.** **You are the only one capable of carrying the burden** **of your birthright** **.** "_

" _W-wait!" she shouted, looking around desperately. "Who are you? What do you know about me?"_

" _ **I am Vigil,** " it replied, growing ever fainter. " **You must find me. The burden** **of your power** **and duty** **must be passed on.** "_

 _The world started going black, the whiteness fading into oblivion. She was fading, vision flickering as she fought to stay awake. Her mouth felt like it was filled with tar as she tried to speak, to beg for anything else about herself._

 _But she was just so tired..._

 _Then, just as everything faded into nothing, the voice of Vigil whispered one last time. " **You have silver eyes.** "_

 _ _Then everything went black, and she knew no more.__

* * *

 **Updated: March 7, 2017**


	6. Recollection

_She was running. Running as fast as she could. The blurry shapes of buildings and rooftops racing by faster then she could follow. Crescent Rose was clenched in her hands, scuffed and dirtied by an earlier encounter with a pirate in an alley._

 _She had been called back to the FOB to give them the new encryption keys personally and the comms were secure again, meaning she could hear everything._

"Left side! _" the voice shouted from the radio, echoing around her like she was in a cathedral. "_ They're working around the flank! Jay, covering fire now! Rose! Where are you?! _"_

" _On my way!" she screamed, jumping the gap between two building as she ran across the rooftops of Elysium._

 _She was running... but wasn't. She was watching it... a spectator in her own memories. Unable to do anything but watch as the events played out._

"Snipers! Top window! Monica, suppress them! _"_

"On it! _"_

 _Faster. She needed to go faster. She pleaded... begged her legs to move faster as the rooftops raced past. But wasn't fast enough... she never was._

 _The lip of the last building approached and she slid to a stop, over looking the main plaza of the city. It was filled with bodies, the dead far outnumbering the living, civilians and pirates alike. On the far side sat a small open air restaurant, and hunkered down in it was her squad, desperately firing into the hordes of pirates outside. Even outnumbered twenty to one, they were doing a fine good of holding their own._

 _No... please no... not again..._

" _Setting up shop," the words fell from her mouth as she ducked behind a railing. A low droning sound began to grow in the distance. She made a quick adjustment to her scope before rising, sighting up the first pirate she saw._

 _Before she could pull the trigger, the droning grew louder, drawing her attention away from the battle and to the enemy gunship that was making it's strafing run._

 _No..._

 _As she watched, the wings of the craft erupted, firing it's whole payload of ordinance at the pinned squad._

" _MISSILES!" the scream tore from her lips as she was forced to watch, helpless as the dozens of warheads streaked towards their target._

"Shit! Everyone Move! Mo-"

 _The missiles reached them, flying in through the open windows and, for a moment, everything stood still. Then the building detonated in a massive fireball that reached high into the sky._

 _As the pirates around it cheered, Ruby's heart stood still._

 _No... no, they couldn't be gone... Shepard... Monica... Jay, Vince, Louis. They couldn't be gone... they couldn't._

 _...but they were... they were all gone... all gone..._

 _...gone..._

 _A silver haze settled over the world, her shock and horror boiling over into an anger unlike anything she had felt before. Her face twisted into a snarl as she gazed upon the pirates gathered below, celebrating their victory._

 _Her eyes burned as if branded, glittering coals imbedded in their sockets as she watched them._

 _Murders. All of them._

 _She had passed the point of no return. Her anger at the loss of life, the colony and now her whole team..._

 _Crescent Rose shifted in her hands, the massive blade unfurling, gleaming in the blood red light._

 _ _None would escape the Reaper.__

 **-Linebreak-**

Awareness slowly started to return, bringing with it a raging headache. A sigh slowly escaped her lips as the dream faded away and her eyes fluttered open. Everything hurt. Her head felt like it was on fire, and her legs hadn't burned this bad since N7 school.

"Doctor!" the voice of Kaidan called beside her, making her wince at the volume. "Doctor Chakwas! I think she's waking up."

"Obviously," Ruby groaned, struggling to sit up. Strong hands gripped her shoulders, steadied her as she managed to pull herself up. Her vision swam before her, before clearing to reveal Chakwas's worried face peering at her. A quick glance around confirmed that she was in the Normandy's mad-bay with Kaidan standing by the side of her bio-bed. Someone had changed her out of her armor and into her off-duty uniform.

Doctor Chakwas gave a sigh of relief. "You gave us quite a scare there, Ruby. How are you feeling?"

"Like I ran another one of Attila's courses," Ruby groaned, the thought of her old N7 instructor sending a shiver down her spine. "Uh... How long was I out?"

"About fifteen hours. Something happened down there with the beacon."

"It's my fault, Commander," Kaidan said, stepping forward. "I must have triggered some sort of security field when I approached it, and you had to pull me out."

"Ah, don't beat yourself up over it," Ruby replied, massaging her temples. "You had no idea what would happen... none of us did."

"Actually" Chakwas interjected, "we don't know if that's what even set it off. Unfortunately we'll never get the chance to find out."

"The beacon exploded," Kaidan explained. "A system overload, maybe. The blast knocked you cold. Ashley and I carried you back here to the ship."

Ruby nodded, wincing as her head pulsed in time with her heart. "Thanks, but... what happened exactly? Everything's all blurry. Last thing I remember clearly was... was Jenkins, and then..."

Her eyes widened in horror before she buried her head in her hands. The skin of her shoulder burned as the full realization settled over her. "Shit... it happened again, didn't it?"

Kaidan swallowed nervously. "If by 'it' you mean went completely berserk and tore apart everything in front on you... yeah."

"Shit," she repeated miserably. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Only the Geth, Commander," he assured her. "There... wasn't really anyone left."

"What about you and Williams?"

"We're good, Commander. Though you did scare the shit out of us."

Ruby gave a great sigh of relief. "Good... better then last time at least."

"Last time?" Kaidan asked, eyes widening. "What do you mean by 'last t-"

"That's enough, Lieutenant," Chakwas cut him off. "She's just been through some... rough times."

"Understatement of the century," Ruby chuckled dryly. "Try through hell and back... _twice_."

The med-bay door slid open, admitting Captain Anderson. He moved to her bedside, watching Ruby worriedly. "How's our OX holding up, Doctor?"

"Physically she's fine," Chakwas replied, casting the Commander a worried look. "Mentally... I can't say."

"I see." Anderson looked thoughtful for a moment before sighing. "I need to speak with the Commander. Alone."

Kaidan gave a salute while Chakwas merely nodded, then they both headed to the door. It shut behind them with a small hiss, casting the room into a crushing silence.

At length, Anderson spoke. "How are you holding up, Commander?"

"Terrible," Ruby groaned, head emerging from her hands. "I get people killed and the mission ends up FUBAR anyway."

"Ruby," Anderson said, using the same comforting tone she hadn't heard since she had lived in London. "Jenkins death wasn't your fault. Neither was Nihlus'."

"That's not true," she groaned. "Before the mission I told him to follow my orders and he'd be alright... then I tell to move up and it gets him killed."

"It was the Geth, not you."

"It might as well be me."

"Ruby, stop this please. We've all lost people. You, me, even Chakwas. As harsh as it may sound, its all part of the job. Jenkins knew what he was signing up for when he joined the Alliance."

"Again, because of me," she sighed. "Did you see his face when we first met and he learned he was to be under my command? I was his idol. But after meeting me... he treated me just like he would anyone else. A person. I liked that about him more then anything else. He was a good soldier. He didn't care what I had done in the past, and I could never thank him enough for that."

She raised her eyes and stared at Anderson miserably. "I'm called the Crimson Reaper. The thing I'm known best for is slaughtering hundreds of people."

"But you saved them," Anderson replied softly, sitting next to her on the bio-bed. "The whole colony owes you their lives. You've done great things, Ruby. Don't let this one mistake bring you down."

"Great things?" Ruby choked. "Anderson, I'm called the Reaper for a reason. I can't hide what I am, no matter how hard I want to. I just... I jus..."

She held back a sob, rolling up the left sleeve of her uniform to her shoulder. Though Anderson had seen it before, he couldn't hold back the twinge of pity he felt seeing what was there. It was a tattoo. Two scythes, modelled after Crescent Rose, crossed behind a laughing skull with N7 emblazoned on it's cracked forehead. Beneath it were two lines of text. The first being the N7 motto: ' **Mess with the best, die like the rest.** ' But the second line was a simple number, a number that she carried with both pride and shame. ' **1256 CK.** '

It was her N7 grad tattoo.

A tradition that was started by the very first of the N7s, each one of the freshly graduated N7s would be given a custom tattoo on their left shoulder, symbolizing their area of expertise. Anderson had one himself. Two fists, each giving a different signal, crossed with the golden bars of a commander stencilled on the wrists, with the motto written beneath them. It was meant to symbolize his leadership, but he highly doubted that. His squad was drunk at the time they decided about it, and it was also tradition that the recipient had no say in what it was to be. For, after training with you for years, your squad should know you inside and out. They would decide what fit you best, and that mark would remain with you forever. It was a huge example of the bonds that you made going through N7 school.

For the tattoo, anything went. You could get an exploding bomb for a demolition specialist, some assault rifles for an assault specialist, the possibilities were endless. The only restriction on the images was the laughing skull. That was reserved for those who the Alliance deemed worthy of being called a 'hyper lethal vector.' Very few N7s got this honor, even after years of service. Out of her whole class, only Ruby and two others had been given this title, and so the laughing skull was added to her design.

That was also the reason she was on Elysium. A week of leave and a trip to the tattoo parlor owned by a retired N7, honourably discharged after a crippling injury.

She had gotten the tattoo in the early morning, the last of her squad to do so. Not five hours later she was forced to watch them get wiped out in an airstrike.

That was where the number came in. 1256 CK. 1256 Confirmed Kills in less then three hours. No pirate on the ground lived to tell the tale of her rampage. She hunted them down like animals, leaving mutilated parts whenever she encountered them. It didn't matter that they begged for mercy, throwing down their weapons in surrender, they all met the same fate.

That was the day the Crimson Reaper was born. Later events only carried that name on.

Anderson sighed, watching with pity as Ruby clutched at the tattoo, fighting to keep the tears back.

"I can't fight it, Anderson," she sobbed. "It just... comes out. It happened on Elysium... it happened on Agaus... and now here. What if Ashley or Kaidad had gotten in the way?"

Anderson swallowed, tactfully choosing not to answer. They both knew what would have happened

When she continued to sob, he wrapped his arm around her, comforting her just as he'd done when she was younger. At length, she quieted down, looking more miserable then he'd seen in years.

"Why me?" she moaned after a while. "Why does this happen to me?"

"I don't know," Anderson said gently. "But you're not alone in this. I'm here for you, as is Karin."

"They said it was some kind of PTSD response," she continued, as if she hadn't heard him. "A... _defence mechanism_ for what I saw. Fight or flight... _bullshit_. PTSD doesn't do things like this."

A brutal sob escaped her and she curled in on herself, trembling. "Then Agaus happened... I couldn't... I couldn't...

Wincing in sympathy, Anderson pulled her in tighter, letting her cry into his shoulder.

Rose may have been called the Crimson Reaper, labelled as a biological killing machine by the Alliance... but she was still only human. And humans made mistakes just like anyone else. But then again, normal humans didn't have super powers and go lugging around giant scythes. But she was human just like the rest of them... and any human could break,.

"Ruby," he said quietly once she had calmed down. "Agaus. It was-"

"Don't you dare," he choked out. "Don't you dare say it wasn't my fault. It was."

"I know," he whispered sadly. "But that was a trap. Those weren't normal circumstances. The whole mission was rigged for you. You can't be blamed for that."

"Maybe not the colony," she sobbed. "But my men... I just... I j-... I go to sleep and I see their faces... I'm called the Reaper for a reason, David. I killed everything in sight, pirates, mercs... slaves, c-colonists... _my own men_..."

Then the floodgates opened and she latched onto him, crying her eyes out and clutching at the tatoo, burning its guilt into her skin. Anderson said nothing, only held her tighter.

Yes. Commander Rose, the Reaper, was still only human. And humans made mistakes. Some more disastrous then others.

At length, her sobs quieted down and she released him, shifting her legs so she was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Thank you, Anderson," she said quietly. "I-I know I broke protocol and-"

"Ruby," Anderson cut her off. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Everyone need a shoulder to cry on every now and then. I just wouldn't make it a habit to run to your CO every time. That might get you in trouble if you transfer out."

She snorted, the smallest of grins tugging her lips. "I'll remember that, sir.

Then her face shifted, the inner Commander coming out once again. "What about the mission?"

Anderson sighed, rising to his feet. "FUBAR, as you said. Nihlus is dead and the beacon is destroyed. The council is demanding answers."

"Tell them to ask Saren," Ruby scowled. "He was there. Killed Nihlus too."

Anderson nodded grimly. "I've ready heard Williams' and Alenko's reports. This is getting out of hand."

"Damn right," Ruby agreed. "We have to tell the Council. Saren murdering another Spectre, allying himself with the Geth, attacking a human colony. That's a declaration of war right there."

"I've already talked with the Council," he sighed. "While they are worried about the Geth, the beacon was their primary concern."

"That's insane. The Geth haven't been seen outside their own space in centuries. If anything, the beacon is the last of our worries. There's a rouge Spectre on the loose attacking our colonies. A colony which, very important to note, was the exact one with the beacon. He got something from it and ran, planting bombs to destroy the evidence."

"I believe you, Commander," he nodded. "I'll stand by you and your report. But the Council isn't going to like this. Saren is one of their top agents. They won't like him being accused of treason."

"Probably, yeah," Ruby agreed, scratching her chin. "And if Saren did plan this then he likely covered his tracks too. Maybe make up a story about how he was half way across the galaxy at the time.

She thought about it for another moment then glanced at Anderson. "He'd probably use you too."

"What do you mean?"

"He told me, Anderson," Ruby replied grimly. "How you were selected for the Spectres when we met on the Citadel... more like rubbed it in my face. He said you blew the whole op, got a lot of people killed and then tried to blame him for it. I knew it was bullshit, I know you'd never do something like that, but the Council sided with him in the end. Now think about this: You fail another op for the Council and blame Saren for it. A repeat of last time, from the Council's point of view. Saren could use that against us. Probably something about how you want revenge."

Anderson sighed and dipped his head in thought. "You have a good point, Commander. We'll see what Udina thinks on the matter."

He gave her a small grin. "Sometimes I forget you're not sixteen anymore."

She snorted. "I wasn't that dumb back then. Maybe a little naive, but certainly not dumb."

"Certainly not," he smirked before his face turned serious again. "But Saren came to Eden Prime for the beacon. Why?"

He gave her a look. "You were the last one to come in contact with it before it was destroyed. Did you see anything?"

"Well," Ruby sighed leaning back. "I saw... a vision, of sorts."

"A vision? A vision of what?"

She frowned, a shiver going down her spine as the images came back, frame by frame. Death... so much death. And the screams... those screams would live in her mind forever. But one thing stood out more then anything else.

"I saw... a war. A big war. There were machines just... slaughtering everyone. Butchering them. There were so many of them in the sky you couldn't see the stars. Then... everything goes black. It was over."

She neglected to mention the part afterwards. That voice, Vigil... what it had said was personal. Also she didn't need people saying she was crazy, hearing voices in her head, Prothean beacon or not.

Anderson considered her words for a moment. "We have to report this to the Council."

"What are we gonna tel them? I had a bad dream?" Ruby scoffed.

"We don't know what information was stored on that beacon. Lost Prothean technology? Blueprints for some ancient weapon of mass destruction? Whatever it was, Saren took it. But you and I both know Saren's reputation."

"Humans are a blight on the galaxy," she supplied.

"Exactly. And you're right, this attack was an act of war. He has a whole army of Geth under his command. Now that he has the secrets from the beacon, he might very well try to wipe humanity from the face of the galaxy."

"So now all we got to do is get his Spectre status revoked and hunt him down," Ruby grinned dangerously, cracking her knuckles. "I need to pay him back for Eden Prime."

"I'll talk with the ambassador, see if he can get us an audience with the Council. In meantime, I think you need to talk with Williams."

"Williams?" Ruby asked raising an eyebrow. "What's she doing here?"

Anderson sighed. "With Jenkins gone we needed a replacement on the ground team. So I transferred her to the Normandy."

"She's a good soldier," Ruby agreed. "I just wish we didn't need her."

"I understand, Commander. But I don't think she's taking you being her CO very well. From what I understand she's heard the rumours about you and Agaus, and she's not very happy about it. You need to get things straightened out with her."

"Alright, I'll see what I can do."

"Take your time, Commander. We're still an hour out from the Citadel."

Giving her a small smile, Anderson crossed over to Chakwas's and plucked something from it's surface. Her silver rose emblem.

"Good luck, Ruby," he said tossing it to her.

She caught it one handed and stared at the polished surface. She heard the med-bay door open and close as Anderson left, but payed it little attention. She was more worried about Williams.

Everyone knew about Elysium. It was how her whole persona of the Crimson Reaper got started. The missions afterwards only built onto her fearsome reputation in battle.

Then Agaus...

She screwed her eyes shut as the memories came back and her shoulder burned.

She was known as the Reaper before that mission... but Agaus was where the rumours got started. About the true monster that was Ruby Rose.

There were many ways how she could handle the situation, but why try to lie? She knew what she'd done. To try and hide it would only make her even more of a murderer.

No. The best way to handle this was to be honest. Let Williams decide for herself.

Sighing, she clipped the emblem to her belt and got off the bio-bed before exiting the med-bay. Outside was the mess-hall, a rather simple affair for one of the most advanced ships in the Alliance. A single table, large enough to hold a single crew shift at a time with MRE dispensers on the wall nearby. A corridor heading to the prow of the ship held two rows of sleeper pods, none of them in use. On the port side, just opposite of the med-bay were the XO quarters.

The deck was empty, save for Ashley Williams sitting at the table, a half full bottle of water sitting in front of her. Her face was set in a pain expression, eyes staring at the bottle but not really seeing it.

Casting her a worried look, Ruby headed over to one of the dispensers and grabbed her own bottle of water. Then she reached over and opened a cupboard set into the wall next to it. A sign on the cupboard door read ' **Rose only. Keep out. Joker, this means you.'** Inside were a number of small boxes with little powder packets of Tupari, an Asari energy drink.

She popped open the cap and took a swig, relishing the cool water as it poured down her throat. Then she grabbed one of the drink packets, tore the top off and poured the pink powder into the bottle before giving it a good shake. Once it turned a bright pink she took another swig, wincing as the sickeningly sweet drink hit her tongue.

She may have a sweet tooth, but somethings just went too far. The only reason she still drank Tupari was for it's high caloric content. In was recommended for biotics after all, and they burned thousands of calories every day. And she burned almost four times the amount they did using her speed.

Downing another mouthful, she walked to the table and took a seat opposite Williams. The Gunnery Chief looked up as she sat down, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Commander," she greeted her sullenly.

"Chief," Ruby replied, taking another swig. Once she had swallowed, she screwed the cap back on and set the bottle to the side. "Right, let's get this over with."

"Ma'am?"

Ruby stared at her, face emotionless. "Do you have a problem with me, Williams?"

Ashley hesitated for a moment. "Y-yes ma'am, I do. But I won't let it interfere with the mission. You have my word."

"That wasn't was I asked, Williams. Do you have a problem with me?"

A moment's pause. "Yes."

"Why?"

Another pause, then a sigh. "Permission to speak freely, ma'am?"

"Granted."

"I don't like working with a murderer."

Ruby sighed, eyes drooping to look at the table. "So you've heard the rumours?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Alright," Ruby said, looking up again. "What do you want to know?"

Ashley blanched. "I'm... sorry, ma'am?"

"I said what do you want to know? You must have questions, right?"

Another hesitation. "Agaus... is it true?"

Ruby winced, a pained look coming over her face. "Yes... Yes it is."

Ashley's eyes widened in shock, and no small amount of fear. "Everything?"

"Not everything. I don't have lazer eyes. Don't know where that part came from."

"But everything else?"

Now it was Ruby's turn to hesitate. "Yeah. It's true."

Silence.

"Would you like to hear the true story? The rumours aren't very accurate, and I've heard them all."

Ashley nodded.

"Okay," Ruby sighed. "Well, it all started on Elysium. The whole thing was put together by a man named Elanos Haliat. Of course when I stopped the Blitz cold it put a black mark on his reputation. He managed to escape and we lost all trace of him. Then, about a year and a half later an SOS come from a remote colony on the edge of the Verge that was being attacked by a small group of pirates."

She collected herself for a moment before continuing. "We set down outside the settlement. Even a kilometer away we could hear the fighting. They couldn't hold out for long, so I split the squad up. I would run and meet up with the resistance while the sargent took the others and flank the attackers."

A shiver went down her spine as she remembered it all. "Everything was going according to plan. My squad engaged the pirates, catching them off guard, and I was just about to make contact. Then... t-then they turned on me."

She swallowed. "Turns out the whole colony had already been abducted and shipped off. But the pirates... they brought shieldbearers with them. Men, women... children. They dressed them all up as colonists and stuck them in there as bait."

Ashley's eyes widened in shock. A Batarian shieldbearer, as they were called, was a slave trained to hold a gun and follow simple orders. Some of them were once children, stolen at a young age and indoctrinated or druggies who fought for their next fix. Most common though were the common slave that were drugged out of their minds, following orders without question. The term shieldbearer came from the fact that pirates usually used them as meat shields and cannon fodder in engagements.

"We had no idea," Ruby said quietly. "I met a group of them... and I thought they'd be glad to see me... instead they all started shooting at me. They had all been ordered to fake it... then try and kill me when I showed up. I gave them every chance to surrender, but none of them would stand down... I had no choice after that... Then everything when to hell. The whole colony turned on us, every last man, woman and child... I've never seen anything like it. You don't know the real horrors of war until you're forced to behead a kid trying to gut you with a knife. But I tried so hard to save them. I knocked out as many as I could, but they just kept coming... and sometimes I was forced to put them down."

Ruby sighed, forcing away the images burned into her memory forever. "I suffer from a... _type_ of PTSD. Elysium left scars, ones I'm not sure will ever heal. All the while I was fighting I could feel myself breaking down. It's one thing to kill a bunch of pirates... but this was, just wrong. I knew they were the enemy... but it just didn't feel like it."

She screwed her eyes shut, tattoo burning as she fought to hold the tears back. "Then I got a call from my men. They got trapped in a warehouse on the far side of the colony. I ran there as fast as I could, ignoring everyone else, even as they tried to kill me. I remember being angry... confused. Angry at the pirates, the 'colonists'... myself... I knew I was gonna snap... I just didn't know when. Then I turned the corner."

She took in a shuddering breath and a single tear made it through, trickling down her cheek. "There was a new guy... on the squad, I mean. Not even a month out of a basic. This was his first mission, and you could tell. Jumpy as hell, even before we touched down. I turned the corner on him... scared him... and he shot me by accident."

She held back a sob. "Then everything went black... I came to my senses a few hours later... and I was the only one left. I had killed them all... pirate, colonist... my own men."

A choked gasp escaped her and she buried her head in her hand, fighting back the tears. She remained like that for a minute before she reemerged, silver eyes gleaming dangerously. "Turns out the whole thing was engineered by Haliat, his vengeance of sorts. Use my own victory against me. Ruby Rose, the Hero of Elysium, the Crimson Reaper, slaughtering her own men and the colony she was suppose to save. He had cameras set up everywhere, recording everything I'd done. I don't remember how, but I managed to track him down to an outpost a few kilometers away. I wanted to tear his head from his shoulders then and there... but I couldn't. I gave him a single chance to surrender, to face Alliance justice for what he'd done. He refused. I made it quick, at least. But I was still too late. He had put the footage together and sent it to the Alliance, posing as one of the last colonists still alive. They managed to stop it from going viral, but they all saw what I did."

She looked up to meet Ashley's eyes. The Chief's face was twisted in a flurry of emotions Ruby couldn't identify.

"Well," Ruby sighed, "now you know. Everything about me is true... except the lazer eyes, of course. Still don't know where that came from."

Ashley was silent, considering her words. "I thought the Agaus incident was classified?"

"It is."

"Then why are you telling me this?"

"Because I want you to understand," Ruby said miserably. "I've done terrible things in the past, I won't hide it, and I regret every single one of them. I close my eyes at night and I see their faces..."

She looked Ashley dead in the eye. "To some I may be a monster, but I just want you to understand that's not who I am. Everyday I wish I could take back what I've done, but I can't. Now all I can do is regret, and hope I don't lose control again."

The distant hum of the Normandy's drive core filled the silence. The two woman drinking silently from their bottles. Then Ashley sighed.

"I... I knew a man like you," she said quietly. "He was in the 212, actually: Mathews. He killed a bunch of kids in an accident when he was younger... he said he couldn't live with himself after that, but he kept on going. Joined the marines as some kind of penance."

Ruby nodded. She'd heard of a few people who had done the same thing... People like Vince.

"We looked down on him at first when we learned about it," Ash continued. "But we could tell he truly regretted it, even if it was an accident."

Her eyes trailed up to meet Ruby's. "If I could give him a chance, I suppose I can give you one too."

Ruby gave a small smile. "Thanks Williams. You don't know how much that means to me."

"I can imagine," Ash nodded sadly, raising her bottle to her lips and taking a sip. "It meant a lot to him too, may he rest in piece."

Her own lips arching downward, Ruby raised her own bottle in a toast. "To the fallen."

"To the fallen," Ash echoed, raising her own before draining it in one large gulp.

Ruby followed suit, wincing at the overly sweet beverage. As she set down the empty bottle, a thought occurred to her.

"So you're a Gunnery Chief, right?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am," Ash confirmed with a raised eyebrow.

"Please, it's Ruby while we're off duty," Ruby said, waving her hand dismissively, a sparkle slowly appearing in her eyes. "So, Gunnery Chief, huh? I'm guessing you've had your hands on some pretty sweet pieces of kit, right?"

"On occasion," Ash shrugged, a smile slowly forming. "But you don't really get the good bits when you're stuck on garrison duty."

"Still, what was the best?"

"An experimental AWS-14 Anti-Tank rifle. They were out here testing it and need someone competent to pull the trigger."

Ruby's eyes lit up in excitement. "Oooh! I've wanted to get my hands on one of those for so long. It's far better then the kX-29 from what I've heard."

"I wouldn't know about that. Shot velocity of the 14 is kind of low and the cool down time is terrible."

"I got mods for that."

"Nah. Even with mods it'd be terrible. It's large, bulky and it has no hope in close quarters. No, the kX is defiantly better."

"Then why are they replacing it?"

Ashley's eyes narrowed, an action mirrored by Ruby as they glared at each other.

"I think we better stop before we become enemies," Ruby said at last.

Ashley nodded. "Agreed."

"Different topic," Ruby said, clapping her hands. "Personal kit. What are you packing?"

Ashley shrugged. "Alliance standard."

"Well that's a bummer," Ruby sighed. "No offence to the Alliance but the standard stuff they supply is crap."

"Agreed."

"But if you get a custom weapon somewhere you can use that, just need to have it registered and hand in the old stuff. That can make it a bit better."

"I know. I'm still on Alliance standard."

"Wait," Ruby said, eyes widening in mock horror. "You mean to tell me you're still using a..." She dry swallowed and shuddered before finishing. "... A _Lancer I_?"

"Uh... yeah."

Ruby stared at her, her left eye twitching.

"No," she said at last. "No... _no_... nope... no... NO... nope."

She disappeared in a burst of petals, reappearing next to Ashley, causing the marine to jump in surprise.

"Come with me," she growled, grabbing Ash by the arm and dragging her towards the cargo bay elevator.

"Uh, what are you doing?" the Chief yelped, helplessly trying to dislodge the grip of steel around her wrist.

"Your part of my crew now, Williams," Ruby shot back, dragging her into the elevator and closing the door, allowing it to descend. "And my crew has the best. I will not allow you to use that _piece of shit_ on my watch."

"It's not shit," Ashley protested, finally yanking her arm free.

"It is!" Ruby wailed, turning on her with a scarily frantic look. "I have tried it with every single mod I have. Every. Single. Damn. One... AND IT STILL SUCKS! So long as you are on my crew, you will not use that useless piece of shit anymore! I'll space it as soon as we get to the Citadel... or maybe give it to Udina. Then he'll finally have something to relate to."

"But," Ashley asked, chuckling at her analogy. "What will I use then?"

"I am very glad you asked," Ruby beamed at her. The elevator stopped and the door opened. Ruby stormed out, heading straight for the Requisition Officer standing beside a pile of crates on the starboard side of the cargo bay.

"Jerry!" she shouted, causing the man to snap to attention as she she approached. "Be a good man, will you, and bring me the good stuff."

The man nodded and pulled a crate forward. As Ashley stood beside her, Ruby entered a passcode on the small screen on top. It opened with a burst of steam and she heaved the lid up before leaning down and digging around inside. As she did so, the Requisition Officer leaned over to Ashley. "So what did you do to set her off?"

"You mean this is normal?" Ashley whispered back.

"Yeah. You should have seen her when Alenko pulled out his kit. The Commander nearly had a heart attack, said she'd never seen such junk before. But what were you packing?"

"A Lancer I."

The man's eyes widened in horror and he hurried off, leaving Ashley to wonder over her fate.

Just then Ruby cheered and pulled herself out of the crate, craddling a fancy assault rifle in her arms.

"I-is that..." Ash gasped, pointing to the weapons.

"Yep," Ruby grinned, handing the silver painted assault rifle to Ashley. "A Kovalyov X, just for you."

Mouth still agape in wonder, Ashley took the rifle. "Uh... uh... t-thanks."

"As I said, Ash," Ruby grinned, clapping her on the shoulder. "You're part of my crew now. And my crew has nothing but the best. And before you ask how I got that, it's a long story. Oh, and before I forget, what kind of armor do you have?"

"Phoenix I," Ash answered hesitantly, remembering the Officer's earlier reaction.

Ruby's eyes narrowed at her response. "I can only think of one word to fix that, Williams, and you may hate me for it: _Shopping_."

* * *

 **Updated: March 7, 2017**


	7. The Hunt Begins

" _Approaching the docking bay,_ " Joker's voice rang through out the Normandy as the ship docked at the Citadel. A shudder ran through the ship, followed by the rare sound of the engines powering down. " _And we have arrived. Will all passengers please remember to grab their luggage, and thank you for flying Air Joker._ "

The pilot switched off the intercom and looked over his shoulder. "So, how was that for good flying?"

Ruby shrugged, once again dressed in full armor, cleaned after Eden Prime and with Crescent Rose hanging from her back. Beside her stood Kaidan and Ashley in full gear, minus helmets. "Meh. Could still use some work."

Joker snorted, grumbling in good humor under his breath as he turned back to the controls. Ruby merely smiled and turned to her teammates. "Alright guys, let's move out."

She led them into the airlock, waited a painfully long time for the decontamination cycle to finish, then headed out into the docking bay proper. Through the windows she could see the sleek form of the Normandy, and behind it, the five arms of the Citadel reaching out into space.

She had been to the massive space station before, and the view that captivated all when they first arrived barely fazed her now.

After letting Ashley and Kaidan have a minute to admire the view, she led them to an elevator and headed down to C-Sec Academy. Immediately she regretted her decision as she remembered that Citadel elevators were rated as the slowest in the galaxy. It put a scowl on her face, one that lasted the whole ten minute trip all the way down to the Academy. In it did finally reach it's destination, the elevator opened, much to her relief, into the usual beehive of activity.

Just before they stepped out, a Turian officer walked past, a grey coffee mug filled with a steaming liquid clutched in one hand. When he saw who was inside he stopped, eyes narrowing at her. Ruby threw him a cheery wave. His eyes only narrowed further and he covered his mug with one hand as he hurried away.

"Uh, what was that about?" Kaidan asked, watching him go.

"Something I pulled a while ago," Ruby replied, heading towards the skycar transit terminal. "There was this one asshole, Harkin, who was really pissing me off. So I decided to spike his coffee."

"With what?"

"Laxatives."

Ashley snorted, covering her mouth as she tried to keep in a bark of laughter.

"I bet that turned out well," Kaidan said, trying, and failing, to hide a smile.

"Oh it did," said Ruby. "Problem was, I didn't know which cup was his. So I just spiked the water tank for the coffee machine. Of course I didn't realize that tank was for both the amino _and dextro_ machines. I suppose it was lucky that brand of laxatives was acid universal, but that was a sad day in C-Sec."

They reached the transit terminal and Ruby keyed in the Embassies as their destination. Moments later a skycar touched down on the platform. They got in and within moments were speeding away towards the Presidium.

As the view of the Citadel blurred outside the windows, Ruby felt as though the life was getting sucked out of her the closer they got. Once again she was stepping into the warzone of politics, and she hated it more then any other. She had spent a full year suck in it, unable to escape the torrent of abuses thrown at her.

As Colonel Fang had once said, she was unique, truly the _only_ one of her kind in the entire galaxy. The possible discoveries in science and even the chance of replicating her supernatural abilities were all there for higher powers to argue about and toy with. She had no say about her life during the time she was last here. Her very future resting in the hands of those who would rather sacrifice her for the 'greater good' of the galaxy, whatever that meant. And all during that time her name was thrown about the galaxy as hundreds of thousands of scientists, doctors and others tried to figure out her powers. She was given no privacy, no test was spared and the whole galaxy knew what she was. To the Batarians, she was known as a freak, a creature who needed to be put down, especially when the after action report on Elysium got leaked to the public.

To the Asari, she was oddity, something that didn't quiet fit in with the galaxy. They were also considered to be culturally superior to many, so much so that acts of savage brutality like her defence of Elysium, no matter the reason, was considered abhorrent. Many a Matriarch she'd met had looked down on her for it.

To the Salarians, she was a puzzle, a mystery to be examined and studied. It had caused a great uproar in their scientific communities when the Council called off the examination after a year of fruitless tests and examinations. They took pride in their science and knowledge. Now to have something they couldn't understand or explain, no matter how hard they tried was a huge blow to their pride. To this day they still wanted to get their hands on her.

To the Turians, she was threat. A weapon they couldn't counter or replicate in the hands of their biggest rival. But out of all the Citadel races, she liked them the most for one very important reason: They respected her. They may had seen her as a threat, but they respected her abilities as a soldier, and her dedication to uphold her duty. The generals she'd met may have glowered at her, but there was also a begrudging respect in their gazes. And hell, some of them weren't half bad. Some even complemented her for her actions.

To most, the Presidium was a place of beauty, a marvel of a begone era and a symbol of peace. To her it was little more then a glorified prison.

The skycar began to slow, breaking her out of her thoughts before it finally set down. She climbed out with growing apprehension, staring around. The Presidium was just as pretty as ever. The shining ring of the Citadel with all it's shops and towering apartment blocks gleamed under the light of the artificial sky above.

She sighed as Ashley and Kaidan got out and the skycar took off again. It had dropped them off a fair distance from the Embassies, possibly a small glitch in the systems. Not a big problem, it just meant they had to walk for a bit... actually, scratch that, it would be a problem. She wanted to avoid walking altogether.

Oh well, couldn't be helped now.

Ruby started forward, the two following behind as she walked around the artificial lake that filled the bottom of the Presidium toward the Embassies. As she did, her eyes wandered about, taking in the familiar sights.

A small cafe caught her attention, one of the ones that was popular with the higher end community of politics. The tables were all occupied by important officials of various races, though the number of Asari predominated.

As they passed by, one Asari, a Matriarch by the looks of her, caught sight of her. Almost instantly the whispers began to spread and more and more eyes shifted towards her. Ruby sighed again, picking up the pace as she hurried passed the cafe.

It was just like she told Anderson on the Normandy. She couldn't hide what she was. The rumours were always there. Sitting and being left to stir didn't help them much.

Soon they walked into the Embassies and headed up to Udina's office. As the door opened, the Ambassador's grating voice came from inside.

"This is an outrage! The Council would step in if the Geth attacked a Turian colony!" Ambassador Udina exclaimed, standing in the middle of his office, Anderson by his side. How he got there ahead of them was beyond her. Against the wall, the three holographic projections of the Councillors flickered, staring unimpressed at the Ambassador.

"The Turians do not found colonies on the edge of the Terminus Systems, Ambassador," the Salarian Councillor, Valern, replied calmly.

"Humanity was well aware of the risks when you went into the Traverse," Tevos, the Asari Councillor added.

"What about Saren," Udina growled. "You can't just ignore a rouge Spectre. I demand action!"

"You don't get to make demands of the Council, Ambassador," Sparatus, the Turian Councillor retorted.

Tevos nodded in agreement. "Citadel Security is investigating your charges against Saren. We will discuss the C-Sec finding at the hearing. Not before."

The holograms flickered, then vanished. Udina grunted then turned to Anderson.

"Captain Anderson," he greeted him, eyes flicking over to Ruby. "I see you brought half your crew with you."

"Just the ground team from Eden Prime. In case you had any question," Anderson said.

"I have the mission reports. I assume they're accurate?"

"They are," Ruby spoke up, moving to stand beside Anderson. "And it sounds like you managed to get us an audience."

"Commander," Udina greeted her with a frown. "But yes, I did. They weren't happy about it. They don't like their top agent accused of treason."

"Saren just attacked a human colony," Ruby reminded him. "They can't just ignore that. With the Geth under his control he's a threat to every one of our colonies out there."

"Settle down, Commander. You've already done more then enough to jeopardize your candidacy for the Spectres. It was a miracle you got a chance at all! The mission on Eden Prime was to prove you could get the job done. Instead, Nihlus ends up dead, the beacon destroyed and you proving once again that you can't control your damn temper."

"My temper?" Ruby growled, fist clenching.

Anderson quickly moved between the two of them. "That's Saren's fault, not hers."

"Then we better hope that C-Sec turns up better evidence to support your accusations. Otherwise the Council might use this as an excuse to keep you out of the Spectres."

"Spectre status be damned!" Ruby shouted, shoving past Anderson to look Udina in the eye. "I won't stand around while that maniac burns us to the ground!"

"My point exactly," Udina replied contemptuously. "This isn't about petty revenge, Commander. This is about humanity as a whole. You were chosen because they said you represented the best of us, so act like it!"

She opened her mouth to reply, then stopped. He was right. Though she did care bringing Saren to justice and protecting her people, it was no excuse for insubordination.

Udina glowered at her one last time, then stepped back. "I understand your duty, Commander, but your role in this is over. Captain Anderson will accompany me to the hearing, but you must stay here."

"What?" Ruby exclaimed, face morphing in surprise.

"Its too risky to bring you," Udina explained. "Ever since the report went out that you 'went on rampage on Eden Prime, speculation has been flying all over the place. The rumours of Agaus haven't helped matters. In fact, the Council is now convinced you were the cause of the beacon's destruction."

"What?" Ruby exclaimed again. "We don't know what happened down there. It could have blown up for any number of reasons."

"That's not what the Council thinks," Udina snarled back. "They all know of your reputation, Commander, good and bad. Your... _incident_ on Agaus isn't as private as you think. As far as they know, you snapped on Eden Prime and, in your rage, destroyed the beacon along with the Geth."

He glowered at her. "I'll give you one guess who put that idea in their heads."

"Saren," Ruby replied darkly.

"Exactly. He has us on the defensive already. There's no good explanation for how the beacon was destroyed. You were the last one to have contact with it, and therefore, according to Saren, the blame falls on you. Already he has the Council wrapped around his finger with stories about how you're trying to justify your failure in retrieving the beacon, and that you only _pretended_ he was the there to have someone else to blame."

"What about the dockworker? They can't ignore an eye witness."

"That's a complicated piece of evidence" Udina said. "In fact he was more scared of you then the whole attack. Commander, you have no idea of the shitstorm we are in. Bringing you to the hearing will only complicate matters. Saren will use you against us, saying that you're pinning the blame on him, and I know you won't be able to keep your mouth shut about it."

He straightened. "I have all the reports, now all we need is the C-Sec finding before we make our case. The hearing begins in two hours. Captain Anderson will accompany me, and you will stay here at the Embassies."

"Commander," Anderson spoke up. "I don't like this either, but your position is too precarious for us to take chances. The more we can leave you out of this, the more we can focus the attention on Saren."

He gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry."

Ruby glowered at the two of them.

"I understand, sir," she said stiffly, then turned and stormed out the office.

A minute later she found herself sitting on one of the cushioned benches that lined the lobby of the Embassies. From it, she could see the Presidium in all it's glory. Some distance away, Kaidan and Ashley leaned against a railing running around the artificial lake in the center, talking about something or other.

Sighing, Ruby leaned back into the bench, running her hands down her face, as if trying to wipe away the years of stress that had built up on it.

She hated to admit it, but they were right. She may not have have many black marks on her record, but the ones she did have were big, and they weren't for botched missions. Death and destruction seemed to follow her wherever she went.

It was partially because of her speed. Running faster then humanly possible granted many tactical advantages that many would die for. But then add the giant sniper-scythe on her back and you got a recipe for one of the most deadest soldiers to ever exist. That day on Elysium she had broken records for the highest kill count in Alliance history, and that number had only grown in the following years.

She may have had special abilities, a weapon as feared as herself and trained to be one of the most skilled soldiers in the Alliance, but that didn't change who she was. Why couldn't people understand that she didn't ask for any of this? She didn't ask for this strange power, she didn't know how she got it or know it's purpose. And she certainly didn't ask for a name like the Crimson Reaper.

The Crimson Reaper... the name stuck with her wherever she went. To some it heightened her status or drove below ground level. But to her, the name was a constant reminder of what she'd done. She hated it, but at the same time she couldn't bare to get rid of it. She couldn't run and forget about it, no matter how much it haunted her. For if she did forget, who's to say it wouldn't happen again?

What if she did something far worse? Killing her own men was one thing, killing a whole colony of indoctrinated slaves was another... but what if it was someone else? She couldn't bare the thought of killing another child. She had done her best on Agaus, but despite her efforts... they had left her no choice.

Why?

Why did things have to be this way? She could have been normal, a regular human being without a strange power and scythe, serving as an N7 marine with her team.

But she never wanted her team to die... she never asked for the chance to unleash it all, to show the galaxy what she was capable of. She never asked for her rage... all the death weighing on her soul... she never wanted to become a murderer... In basic she had come to understand that death was necessary, N7 school had only driven that point home.

She blinked, memories racing across her mind's eye and suddenly she was...

 _...back against the wall, struggling to stay calm as Colonel Attila raged at her._

" _WHAT!" he screamed in her face, "ARE THEY DOING HERE?!"_

 _He gabbed a finger back towards the limp forms of two gang members, both sporting large bumps on their heads from where she'd knocked them out. She'd come to realize that Crescent Rose was not only useful as a blade, but also a club. The blunt end being useful for knocking people out._

 _But not right now, apparently._

 _Occasionally, first year N1s and N2s would head into Rio de Janeiro itself to give the police department some assistance settling the gang wars that constantly strung up. Both to help out the city and to give them experience in a live-fire situation. Now it was her squad's turn to have a go. Attila had accompanied them as they tracked down a drug lord to a warehouse in the south-most part of the city, the warehouse they were currently in, actually._

 _Under Attila's orders, Shepard had taken the others to clear the second floor, leaving him and Ruby to clear the rest of the ground floor._

 _That was where one glaring issue in Ruby's engagement policy had emerged._

" _Sir," she said, snapping to attention. "I cleared the ground floor, as ordered."_

" _Then why," he shouted,_ _j_ _abbing at them again, "are they still alive?!"_

 _There were so many things she wanted to say. Over the last few months she had begun to hate the man with a passion. The never ending drills, exercises and live-fire courses. He would constantly make them run them over and over again for the smallest slip up. The all time record was a full nine hours in a hand-to-hand combat drill. She almost died of exhaustion, and spent two days in the medical bay to recover from her injuries._

 _She just wanted to scream at him. Tell him that she couldn't do it, that she couldn't kill them. They were people, just like her. People with hopes and dream, and she couldn't just take that away from them._

 _She couldn't kill. She swallowed before replying stiffly. "I cleared the ground floor... sir."_

 _His eyes narrowed dangerously._

 _Ruby braced herself for the torrent of abuse she knew was coming, then blinked in surprise as he turned and walked towards the two gang members. They were both young, probably no older then seventeen. As she watched, they both began to stir, shaking off the grogginess of her blows._

 _Attila stalked over to them, drawing his sidearm. As the first gang member crawled to his knees, he jammed it to the boy's head and fired._

 _Ruby jumped, too shocked to be sick as the body slumped to the ground, a hole in the side of it's head. It's dead eyes boring into her, as if blaming her for it's death._

 _But Attila wasn't finished. He grabbed the second boy by the scruff of the neck and dragged him to his feet, holding the pistol to his temple. Then he glared at Ruby._

" _Draw your sidearm," he growled._

 _She hesitated, scared._

" _NOW!"_

 _Hands shaking, she folded up Crescent Rose and holstered it before grabbing her pistol._

" _Now," Attila snarled. "Maybe you don't understand what we're doing here. What_ you _are doing here. You are here to be an N7. If you wanted to be a hero then you should have joined the fucking girl-scouts. I can tell you've never killed before, so here's how we're gonna break you into it."_

 _He waved the pistol between the two of them. "You two will fight for your lives. Either he dies..." He pressed his own pistol into the boy's hand, holding it in place as the panicked gangster gripped it like a lifeline. "...or you do."_

 _Ruby's eyes widened in shock and fear._

" _Kill or be killed," Attila said. "It's as simple as that."_

 _His head turned as he addressed the gangster. "If she dies, you get a chance to run. But if you even twitch that gun before I say, I'll kill you. Got it, fucker?"_

 _The boy nodded frantically, the smallest glimmer of hope in his eyes. Attila nodded and stepped back._

 _She couldn't do this. She couldn't kill this kid._

 _She couldn't... could she?_

" _Your life or his, Rose!" Attila roared. "The choice is yours! FIRE!"_

 _It was self preservation and years of training that brought her pistol up in the spilt second she saw his rise. Two shots went off, but there was one big difference between them._

 _He missed... she didn't._

Ruby blinked again, the memory fading as she pulled herself back to reality.

That first kill had haunted her for months, even if it was in self-defence, forced as it was. Colonel Attila was a bastard for forcing her into that situation... kill or be killed.

But she had been taught a valuable lesson that day, even if she hated the man for it. Attila may have broken her in training, but she refused to fully lose herself in the service of the grim reaper. She did what she had too when necessary, both for the mission and the survival of herself and her teammates.

She could kill, yes, but never needlessly. If she had the chance to save a life she took it. If someone surrendered, she would give them a chance.

Attila had raged at her for it, trying to break her out of the 'bad habits' as he called them. But no matter how hard he beat, threatened and forged her into the perfect soldier, she refused to give in. He may have broken her into the grim reality of war, but she would never loose herself in it.

And she knew that she was stronger for it.

Then Elysium happened... all the death caused by her hand. Elysium had broken her. Shattered her like glass. She couldn't believe that it was she that had done those things. All her convictions she had fought to keep had been lost as the blood poured down the streets of the colony. And yet somehow she manged to justify it all, telling herself she'd done it to save the colony and everyone on it. Gradually, she had pulled herself together. Pulling the shattered pieces of her conscience and soul back into place. Karin had helped, as did Anderson and even Nihlus, supporting her through her distress. And gradually, she had begun to heal.

Then Agaus...

Elysium may have shattered her... but Agaus utterly destroyed her.

The pieces she'd pulled together shattered once again, leaving her a half dead shell of person. Wounds that time could never heal. To this day she was still broken inside. Broken and afraid. Over time she'd pulled herself together, enough to form a thin shell around her soul. But knowing that a single slip up could shatter her was terrifying.

Her jaw set as she buried her head in her hands, fighting to keep a straight face as a sob threatened to break loose.

She never meant to kill those men. Every single day she wished she could take it all back, but she couldn't. It left scars deeper then any bullet she'd ever taken. It was something she could never forgive herself for.

"Excuse me, Commander," said a voice next to her.

Steadying her features, Ruby looked up to see a man standing before her, wringing his hands nervously.

"Can I help you?" she asked softly, emotion leaking through her words.

"I hope so," the man replied. "My name is Samesh Bhatia. My wife was a soldier in the 212 on Eden Prime."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Ruby said sincerely.

Samesh nodded sadly, eyes darting back and forth as he thought of the best way to word his his question.

"I...understand you're a person of influence," he said slowly. "Please, I ask for your help. The Alliance is refusing to release my wife's body for cremation, and they will not tell me why."

Ruby stood without a word. "Who do you need me to talk to?"

Samesh thanked her, then led her to an Alliance Representative in the Embassies Lounge. After a quick discussion, she learned the reason; a further study into the effects of Geth weapons. It took some convincing, but eventually Ruby got the body released, earning a tearful thank you from Samesh. She walked away from the lounge with a warm feeling inside.

It wasn't very often she got to savour the little things in life. Her duties as a Commander kept her most of the time. But she welcomed every opportunity to help others in anyway she could. In a way, it helped her feel normal again, lifting the troubles of her career.

She was helping again. That, more than anything else always brought a smile to her lips.

As she headed back to the lobby, she passed the door to the C-Sec Executor's office. It opened suddenly as she approached, and Executor Pallin himself stepped out, followed closely by a C-Sec detective.

"Saren's hiding something," the Turian detective was saying. "I need more time."

"I'm afraid that's out of the question, Garrus," Pallin said. "Your investigation is over."

"And I have nothing to show for it," Garrus argued back, mandibles fluttering angrily. "I can't pull together a case in under six hours, and on a Spectre no less."

Ruby paused, stopping a few meters away to watch the exchange with interest.

"I just don't see why you don't trust him," Pallin said, turning to face the detective. "Saren is one of our finest people. His views on humans may be a little more extreme then most, but who can blame him? This is the second time they've accused him like this."

"Well, I find it awfully convenient that he had an alibi on the other side of the galaxy the moment the Council contacted him. He's hiding something, can't you see?"

"He's a Spectre. Of course he has things to hide."

"Please," Garrus pleaded. "I have a lead. All I'm asking for is one more hour to check it out, then I'll file my report. Please... sir."

"I'm sorry, Garrus," Pallin said. "But you know the rules. All evidence and reports must be submitted no less then three hours before the court case begins. You're already an hour late. So unless you want your case to fall completely flat, I suggest you file what you have. That'll be all detective."

He turned and strode back into his office, leaving the flustered Turian glaring at the closed door. Eventually he shook himself and made to leave, then caught sight of Ruby down the hall. He visibly brightened and walked over.

"Commander Rose," he said, holding out his hand. "Garrus Vakarian. I'm the officer in charge of the investigation into Saren."

"A pleasure to met you, Mr. Vakarian," Ruby said, smiling, forcing her eariler thoughts aside

Garrus snorted. "Please, Mr. Vakarian is my father."

"Fair enough, Garrus. I take it your investigation didn't go so well?"

"You could say that," he sighed. "Saren is a Spectre, so everything he touches is classified. It pisses me off."

"You don't seem to like him much."

"I know what happened on your mission," Garrus scowled, crossing his arms. "I know he's responsible for Eden Prime, but can't find any real evidence on him. That's all the Council cares about."

"I see," Ruby noted, leaned against the wall. "You know, I couldn't help but overhear something about a lead you wanted to checkout."

Garrus nodded. "I recently got word of a Quarian wandering the Citadel, wanting to get in contact with the Shadow Broker. From what I heard, she's wanting to trade information for protection from someone big. A certain Spectre, perhaps?"

"Sounds like it's worth a peek," Ruby said, a true grin spreading across her face. Finally, something coming their way. "Mind if we tag along?"

Face thoughtful, Garrus scratched his chin. "Normally civilians aren't allowed in on C-Sec investigations, military personal or not."

He flashed her a smirk then pulled up his omni-tool, pressing a few buttons. "But, if my report is sent in, evidence or not, the case is officially closed. So following this lead could be considered an... _extracurricular_ activity."

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "Is that legal?"

"Probably not," Garrus shrugged, a scowl coming to his face. "But I've been drowning in so much red tape that I just don't care anymore. Too many criminals escape justice because it keeps me from doing my job. But I can't let something this big slip by."

"Neither can I," Ruby said, pushing off the wall. "Where do we start?"

"A med-clinic in the wards run by Dr. Chleo Michel," Garrus replied, turning and heading back towards the lobby with Ruby following. "That's where the Quarian's trail ends. But there are dozens of Shadow Broker contacts on the Citadel. Dr. Michel may know a few and could give us a location."

"Sounds like a plan," Ruby grinned.

As they entered the lobby, Ruby used her speed to blur over to Ashley and Kaidan and clapped them on the shoulder in a flurry of rose petals. "Saddle up you two, we got a Quarian to find!"

* * *

 **Updated: March 7, 2017**


	8. The Hunt Continues

"So what do we know about Dr. Michel?" Ruby asked, lounging comfortably in the passenger seat of the skycar.

"Not much," Garrus said, steering the vehicle through the busy highways of traffic that clogged the skyways of the Citadel. "Showed up a few years ago, worked at an unknown establishment but was fired for giving out free medical supplies. She opened her own clinic shortly afterwards, but that's about it.

From the back seat, Kaidan spoke up. "And what exactly are we hoping to find?"

"Names, locations, anything," Garrus replied, pulling the skycar into a sharp turn. "If the Quarian isn't still there, then Dr. Michel might have got her in touch with a Shadow Broker contact. I'm sure she'll point us in the right direction when she hears our reasons"

"So what's with the hurry?"Ashley asked from beside Kaidan, watching out the window was they sped by at a dangerous speed, leaving other skycars in the dust.

"If the Quarian has evidence, then we need to present if before the hearing is adjourned. When the Council closes down a case, they close it down for good. Good luck getting them to look at it again, let alone talk about it. And with what I gathered, Saren's hearing isn't going to last very long. So we need to get that evidence, determine if it's viable and present to Council before the hearing closes."

Kaidan glanced at his omni-tool. "So we have about an hour and thirty minutes to do all that."

Ruby winced. "I know I'm the fastest woman alive, but that'll be a stretch."

Silence fell on the cabin, broken only by the skycars as they screamed by. Ruby's gaze started wandering, eventually alternating between the view outside and Garrus. She manged to hold her tongue for another minute before sighing.

"Okay, I can't take it anymore. Where are all your guns?"

Her question caused all eyes in the vehicle to shift to Garrus, who could only blink awkwardly.

"Well, uh, you see, when investigating internal affairs, such as Spectres, detectives aren't... really allowed to carry firearms."

They all stared at him blankly.

"Why?" Ashley asked in disbelief.

Garrus shrugged. "I don't know. When dealing with internal stuff you mostly deal with the Presidium. I guess the tax evaders don't like guns and question pointed in their faces."

Another silence stretched out before Kaidan spoke up. "You... do that?"

"Uhhh, no. Just speculation, I have no idea why."

"At least tell me you _do_ have some guns somewhere?" Ruby asked, massaging her temples. "I mean, what if we run into trouble?"

Garrus snorted. "Don't worry, Commander. I have this." He reached down to the thigh plate of his armor and pulled a pistol out of a hidden holster. Ruby's raised an eyebrow.

"Is that a Striker?"

"Mark V," Garrus nodded, slapping it to his thigh. "Packs a mean punch."

"Meh, a Razer is better."

Garrus shot her an incredulous look. "You have a Razer?"

Chuckling, Ruby slapped her sidearm affectionately. "Yep. Mark IX."

"Damn."

"Yeah. Beautiful, isn't it?"

Garrus opened his mouth to reply, then paused, looking past her. Then he swore and pulled a sharp turn, pulling into a skycar station surrounded by numerous shops and other establishments.

"This is as close as I can get us," Garrus said, getting out the skycar.

"How far is it?" asked Ruby, clambering out after him, followed by the other two.

"Not far. This way," he replied, walking away into the crowds that filled the streets.

Ruby hesitated for a moment, glancing around warily before following. As the group headed deeper into the wards, she was constantly aware of the eyes that settled on her. Not as many as on the Presidium, but they were noticeable.

As they passed through the markets, she accidentally met the eyes of a Turian shop keeper. They locked eye for a brief moment before the Turian quickly turned away. She sighed, eyes downcast. It was the same wherever she went. It wasn't Ruby Rose, it was always Commander Rose; the Crimson Reaper. It was like people forgot she had a first name at all.

She was relieved when Garrus turned out of the markets then up a flight of stairs, followed by a short walk to the door of the clinic.

"Small place," Ruby noted, slapping the door controls.

The door opened into a quaint little office with a few bio-beds against the far wall. She saw Doctor Michel instantly, along with the three thugs threatening her with their weapons.

"Now," one thug was saying. "When Garrus shows up, you tell him that-"

He stopped as he caught sight of them. Then grabbed the doctor in a headlock and pressed his pistol against her temple.

Quick as lightning, Ruby had her own pistol out, pointed at the thugs. Her training on hostage situations flashing through her mind.

"Let her go," she said firmly, keeping her pistol level. Beside her, Garrus had his own pistol out and was slowly inching to the side, trying to find the right shot. She didn't need to look to know that Kaidan and Ashley were ready too.

"Not a chance," the thug said, panicking. "We're gonna walk out of here, you got that? You do anything and she-"

He didn't get to finish as Garrus fired, the shot passing within an inch of Dr. Michel and buried itself in the thug's brain.

With the hostage taken care of, Ruby dashed forward using her speed and punched the next thug under the chin. Her blow sent the man flying, hitting the wall with a loud thud before sliding to the ground unconscious. A quick burst from an assault rifle signalled Ashley finishing off the last thug.

"Thanks Rose," Garrus grinned, brandishing his pistol. "You gave me a perfect-"

He was cut off as Ruby stormed over, a deep scowl on her face and slapped him.

"What were you thinking?" she growled as he rubbed his burning mandible. "You could have hit the hostage!"

"There wasn't time to think," the Turian stammered. "I saw a chance, I took it and... Doctor Michel, are you hurt?"

"No," the Doctor replied, shakily rising to her feet from where the thug had dropped her. "I'm alright, thanks to you."

Ruby sighed in relief, running a hand down her face, pointedly ignoring the corpses slumped against the wall as she holstered her pistol. "Okay. First things first." She pointed at the thug she'd knocked out. "Garrus, get that guy in cuffs, or whatever you use. We'll get some answers out of him when he wakes up."

"I don't think we have time for that, Commander," Garrus said, pulling out the requested cuffs from somewhere on his armor and cuffing the man. "It could be hours before he wakes up. You really hit him good."

Frowning, Ruby scratched her chin thoughtfully. Then her gaze slowly drifted to Doctor Michel. "Why where these men here? Sounds like they were trying to keep you quiet about something."

Doctor Michel nodded. "Yes. They work for Fist. They wanted to shut me up, keep me from saying anything about the Quarian."

Ruby's eyes narrowed slightly. "Does this have anything to do with the investigation into Saren?"

"I... I think so," the Doctor replied. "A few days ago a Quarian by my office. She'd been shot, but she wouldn't tell me who did it. I could tell she was scared, and probably on the run. She asked me about the Shadow Broker. She wanted to trade information for a safe place to hide."

"Makes sense," Ruby nodded in agreement. "On the run from someone powerful, you find someone bigger then them. Do you know where she is now?"

"I put her in contact with Fist. He's an agent for the Shadow Broker."

"Not anymore," Garrus interjected. "Now he works for Saren, and the Shadow Broker isn't too happy about it."

"Fist betrayed the Shadow Broker?" Doctor Michel asked, incredulously. "That's stupid, even for him. Saren must have made him quite the offer."

"She must have something Saren wants," Garrus speculated. "Something worth crossing the Shadow Broker to get."

Ruby nodded again, face thoughtful. People would do a lot to keep their darkest secrets from coming to light... she could attest to that. "Is there anything else you can tell us about the Quarian, Doctor? A name, maybe? I mean, calling her 'the Quarian' is getting on my nerves. It's derogatory."

"I'm sorry, she didn't give me a name, Commander," Doctor Michel apologized. "I'm... not sure there is anything else. As I said, she wanted to trade information for a place to hide. She didn't..."

She paused, face going blank for a moment before brightening in remembrance. "Wait a minute. Geth. Her information had something to do with the Geth!"

"That must be it!" Garrus crowed excitedly. "She must be able to link Saren to the Geth. There's no way the Council can ignore this!"

"Time we payed Fist a visit," Ruby grinned, cracking her knuckles.

"I couldn't agree more," the Turian said. "But there might be a more... hmm, legal way of doing it."

"What do you mean?"

"Fist is a known member of a crime syndicate here on the Citadel. It's only because of dirty cops and bribes that he's still walking free. If we just walk in there and a fight starts, because, lets face it, he will resist, there might be trouble for us afterwards. But," he raised a talon with a growing smirk on his face. "If we were to acquire an investigation warrant from C-Sec we can go there legally and get what we need. If he and his men resist, they're obstructing justice and, possibly, assaulting an officer on duty. Either way, we won't be doing anything wrong."

Ruby grin widened. "And you can get us one of these warrants?"

"Yes. But I can only get it in the C-Sec Academy. Might as well grab my guns too."

"You don't say? How long will it take?"

Garrus shrugged. "Give or take ten minutes. I have a friend on duty who can file the paperwork for me."

Ruby pointed at Kaidan. "Time till trial?"

Kaidan glanced at his omni-tool. "An hour and fifteen minutes."

Nodding, Ruby gave Doctor Michel a grateful smile. "Thank you for your help, Doctor."

"It's nothing, Commander," Doctor Michel replied honestly. "In fact, I should be the one thanking you for saving me."

"Think nothing of it, Doc," Ruby called over her shoulder as she headed to the door. "Back to the car people we're on the clock!"

-Linebreak-

"And traffic is just as bad as I remember," Ruby groaned as the skycar set down in the C-Sec Academy courtyard.

"It's not that bad," Garrus shrugged as he clambered out, then started running for his office.

"Make it fast, Garrus!" Ruby called after him, climbing out. "We're burning daylight here!"

The next one out of the vehicle, Kaidan glanced up at the ceiling and the thousand of light fixtures around them, then back to Ruby with a small smirk. "Daylight, Commander?"

"You know what I mean."

They descended into silence, standing to the side of the station as their rented skycar flew off into the sky. The courtyard was unusually quiet for the time of day, with only a few officers heading about their business. Though it would have been nice to meet some of the friendly faces from last time, Ruby welcomed the emptiness. Less distractions that way, especially when they were this pressed for time.

But the emptiness helped to draw her attention to a commotion on the far side of the courtyard. Three officers were gathered around a large Krogan in red armor, their expressions and the faint words that drifted over clearly said they weren't happy. The Krogan looked like he couldn't care less about what they wanted.

Raising an eyebrow, Ruby strolled forward to investigate, aware of her squad mates following her. Soon they were close enough and the group's argument could be heard.

"Witnesses saw you making threats in Fist's bar," the lead officer said, jabbing an accusing finger at the Krogan. "Stay away from him."

"I don't take orders from you," the Krogan challenged, with a look that clearly said 'I don't give a shit.'

"This is your only warning, Wrex," the officer shot back, the shear amount of false bravado he managed to cram into his words caused Ruby pause, impressed. Few could stand up to a Krogan like that.

"You should warn Fist. I will him."

Especially one on a mission like that.

"Do you want me to arrest you?"

Ruby couldn't help but facepalm at that. Clearly this man had no experience with Krogan.

"I want you to try."

And there it was.

Then the Krogan's gaze shifted, his eyes raking over her group and settled on her. A surprised look briefly flickered across his face before it settle back into rough indifference. Without even giving the officers a backward glance, he walked towards her.

"Go on. Get out of here," the officer shouted after him, trying to save as much of his dignity as he could. Then he turned and led his fellow officers away.

The Krogan ignored him and stopped before Ruby, fixing her with a look she couldn't place. She met his gaze evenly. She'd seen worse. They stayed that way for a minute before the grunted.

"You're the one they call the Crimson Reaper," he said flatly.

Ruby's face instantly darkened. "I don't go by that name."

"So you don't," the Krogan grunted. "Pity. Sounds better then the Hero of Elysium."

"My name..." Ruby said sternly, thinking back to what the officer had said. "...is Rose. Commander Rose. And you must be Wrex."

"Urdnot Wrex," he grunted, crossing his arms. "And I think we have something to talk about."

"Oh?"

"I was hired by the Shadow Broker to kill Fist," Wrex said bluntly. "He did the one thing he shouldn't have: He betrayed the Shadow Broker."

"We know," Ruby nodded. Then her face scrunched up in thought and she looked back to where Garrus had disappeared. "I'm still wondering how he knows that."

Then her face relaxed and a flash of and idea flashed across her face. "Listen. A Quarian was sent to Fist recently with information condemning Saren and-."

"I know," said Wrex, cutting her off. "The Shadow Broker told me the whole thing. Fist promised her he'd arrange a meeting with the Shadow Broker, instead he contacted Saren. Don't know when the meeting is, but she might still be at Fist's Bar."

"So, Chora's Den it is then," Ruby sighed. "I rather hoping to avoid that place. Still, you wanna come along, Wrex?"

For the first time, a small grin cracked through the Krogan's gruff expression. "We Krogan have a saying: Seek the enemy of your enemy, and you'll find a friend. Fair word of warning though, I'm going to kill Fist once we're done there."

A scowl crossed Ruby's lips. "He may not have all the answers we need. Until we have everything he's got, he is _mine_ to deal with. Understand?"

Wrex shrugged. "Fair enough. Now, are we just going to stand here or what?"

"Just another minute," Ruby said, glancing back to where they'd came. "We figured out a way to make this whole thing legal."

"Really?" Surprise flickered across Wrex's face, then darkened. "Don't tell me we're gonna have C-Sec on our asses the whole time."

"No... well, yes. But only one," Ruby clarified, raising a finger. At that moment, Garrus ran out of a side passage, the standard C-Sec loadout strapped across his back.

"Okay, I got it," he said, panted slightly as he pulled up beside them. Then he saw Wrex. "Who's this?"

"This is Urdnot Wrex," Ruby said, clapping the Krogan on the shoulder, getting a scowl in return. "Our mobile cover for this operation."

"Don't push it, human."

-Linebreak-

Never before had the atmosphere of a skycar been as tense as this. Garrus sat in the driver's seat, staring pointedly ahead. In the passenger seat sat Ruby, occasionally glancing over her shoulder at the back seat, trying to hold in her giggles.

It was a well known fact that the standard skycars could only hold four people comfortably. The two in the front usually had all the room they could want. The back seats, though somewhat smaller, could easily hold two large Turians in full armor and still be reasonable. Kaidan and Ashley weren't that big... the giant armored Krogan sitting between them who was three times their size, was. Their seating arrangement made a very amusing picture, with the two marines pressed against the walls by Wrex who sat there with the biggest scowl he could muster.

They all glared at Ruby as she peeked around again.

She winced sympathetically and turned back, watching as the skyways of the Citadel blazed by. Then she spoke. "Alright Garrus, Wrex, got anything you can tell us about this place?"

"Round, medium sized," Wrex grunted. "Fist doesn't like the attention of a larger place. Only real problem could be the balcony over the bar. Good place for snipers watching the door."

"I'll deal with them," Ruby said, regretting the fact that she had left her helmet on the Normandy. "Anything else?"

Wrex scowled as he tried to remember. "I saw about fifteen guards last time I was there. Strippers might be armed too, so make it about twenty."

"They're not making it easy for us," Ruby said, letting out a breath of air as she considered their options. "Right, we'll figure it out when we get there. Garrus, how close are we?"

Garrus pushed the skycar into a dive before landing at a station. "Already there. Though we got a bit of walking to do."

"Good. Kaidan, time count?"

Thirty five minutes, Commander," Kaidan replied as they all climbed out of the vehicle.

"Damn," Ruby swore. "That took us way too long. Told you the traffic was bad, Garrus."

"So it was," Garrus said, checking his own sniper rifle. "But we need to move."

Ruby nodded and looked at Wrex. "Can you lead us there?"

The Krogan nodded with a grunt and took off running through the tangled streets of the wards, Ruby and the others following behind. Though it tugged at her very psyche, Ruby refrained from using her speed. For what she had planned, she would need it later.

Within a minute they approached a small courtyard just outside the club. As they turned the corner into it, an armored Turian suddenly stepped out from behind the wall, rifle raised.

Without even breaking his stride, Wrex drew back his arm and punched the Turian square in the chest. His light armor caved in and the Turian collapsed under the blow. As he fell, Wrex drew his shotgun one handed and fired twice at another Turian that appeared behind a railing. The first shot shattered his barriers, the second sent him flying back, minus his head.

"Saren's men," Wrex noted, taking a good look at the first Turian, coughing up blood on the ground, before finishing him off with a shot to the head.

"We're really onto something then," Ruby grinned, pointing at the door to the club. "Stack up. I got an idea."

The others all moved to the door, stacking up on either side with Garrus poised to hit the door controls.

"Alright guys, here's how it's going to work," Ruby said, moving away from the door to give herself some room and drawing Crescent Rose. "I run in, draw fire and clear the balcony. You'll have a few seconds to take them by surprise and get a good position. Understood?"

They all stared at her, uncertain. Except for Wrex, who shifted in place, eager for a fight.

"Isn't that a little risky, Commander?" Kaidan asked.

She gave him a small smirk in return, hefting Crescent Rose in it's rifle form. "Trust me, Kaidan, I know what I'm doing."

If he had anything else to say, he hid it well. Instead, he prepared himself for the breach.

"I need a second to get there," Ruby told them, setting the HVSS to fire concussive shots.. "After that, follow me in. Garrus, on my mark."

The Turian nodded, hand hovering over the door control.

Ruby took a breath to steady herself. She felt her finger twitch towards the button that would unfurl the massive blade, but held it back.

She couldn't do that.

The HVSS may have been a part of her, as much as an arm or a leg, but she couldn't bare to fully unleash it. The memories of what she'd done with it were too painful. The blade brought out the Reaper and the risk that she would lose control again, not to mention the painful memories that came with it.

She couldn't do it.

She could, however, fight CQC without it.

"Go!"

Garrus slapped the control, ducked to the side as the door opened. As it did, Ruby pushed her speed to max, racing through the open door in the blink of an eye before leaping high into the air. As she twirled, she caught brief glimpses of the guards upturned faces, staring at her with stunned awe when they should have been watching the door. She pushed their expressions out of her mind as she landed in a crouch on the balcony over the bar. Around her, four Asari strippers started at her in shock, rifles clutched in their hands.

Their hesitation cost them as Ruby lashed out, bringing the butt of Crescent up and bashed it into the nearest one's face. A small explosion of blood erupted from her broken nose as the Asari tumbled, unconscious, to the ground below.

As the body fell, Ruby ducked and twisted, dodging a burst of fire as she kicked the legs out from under another. As the stripper fell, Ruby managed to grab her head and slammed it into the hard platform. The Asari went limp as she slipped into unconsciousness. As she turned to deal with the third stripper, Ruby heard the sound of gunfire and flaring biotics as her team stormed through the door. Screams and panicked shouting from Fist's men immediately followed.

The third Asari fell limp at her feet after a powerful blow to the head and Ruby turned to the forth, ready to dispatch her in the same manner, only to see the stripper glowing with biotics and thrusting her hand out towards her.

Ruby barely had time to swear as the biotic push caught her in the chest, sending her flying back into the curved wall of the club. She hit with a hard crack, Crescent Rose flying out of her grip as she painfully bashed her head against the wall before falling to the ground below, slumping against the wall.

She lay there, blinking blearily. The world before her was blurred and hazy, the sounds of gunfire strangely muted.

 _Relax_ , she told herself as her vision spun. _Just got your bell rung. It'll fade._

Straining, Ruby pushed off the ground and managed to crawl to her knees. Suddenly, a shadow fell across her. She looked up into the towering form of a club guard and the barrel of a shotgun lining up with her head.

Ruby lashed out, batting the shotgun aside. It fired and she felt the shot breeze less then an inch away from her head. Before the man could try again, Ruby drove her fist hard into his groin and felt something give under her blow. The man's face went white and dropped to his knees, gasping in agony. Years worth of training kicked in as she reached out and grasped both sides of his head and snapped his neck with a quick jerk.

As the body slumped to the ground she backed against the wall, drawing her pistol and scanning the area from more hostiles. Gunfire still echoed through the club as her team mopped up the last of the guards. As she looked around, the last Asari on the balcony peeked out over the edge, rifle trained on her.

Left with no other option, Ruby raised her pistol and shot her through the head without a second thought, pure instinct guiding her actions. She winced at the loss of life as the body crashed to the ground. That Asari might just have been trying to make a living. It was why she had spared the others on the balcony, probably forced into this fight by circumstances.

But kill or be killed, Attila had always said. He had taught her that you always had a choice to kill. But then again you also had a choice of who ended up six feet under, and if you didn't choose, the other guy would. Survival would always win out, and then you were one trigger pull away from coming home in a body bag. So always take the first shot, then the second and the third until you knew without a doubt that he wouldn't be getting up.

The man had been a brutal taskmaster, a true monster when it came to morals... but he had taught her some of the most valuable lessons of the battlefield. And one of them was you didn't mope on the battlefield! She cursed her idleness and jumped to her feet.

The club was almost empty, the last guard firing fruitlessly into Wrex's barriers as the Krogan charged him, slamming him into the wall with a dull crack of breaking bone. The body hit the ground as Wrex chuckled.

"That was fun," he laughed.

"Not quite what I would call it," Ruby grunted, the last of the pain fading as she reached down and picked up Crescent Rose from where it had fallen.

"I'd call it messy," Garrus said, walking around the bar, eyeing the Krogan bouncer on the ground, gutted by Wrex's shotgun.

"No one cares, Turian," Wrex shot back.

Ruby merely shook her head at their antic as she check the HVSS for damage. When she was sure it was ready, she ordered them all to form up and moved to a door at the back of the club. When they had all stacked up, she slapped the door control and stormed in, Crescent Rose at the ready. It was a small storage room, and the only targets were two terrified men in overalls, pointing weak pistols in their direction.

"D-don't move," one of the men stammered, pistol jerking between the five of them. "O-or I'll shoot!"

"Dock workers," Kaidan said, eyeing the two men. "All the real guards must be dead."

"You don't say," Wrex said.

Ruby ignored him for the time being and slowly lowered her weapon.

"Listen," she said calmly. "Fist is the one we want. I don't want to hurt you, but is Fist really worth it?"

The two men glanced at each other, then they lowered their pistols.

"Ah screw it. I never liked Fist anyway." one of them said then looked at Ruby pleadingly. "C-can we go?"

Ruby gave them a small smile and stood aside, letting them troop out of the club.

"Could have just killed them," Wrex grunted, watching them go.

The smile on her face disappeared, replaced with a scowl as Ruby whirled on the Krogan, meeting his eyes.

"Wrex," she said sternly. "So long as you are working with me, I never want to hear you say that about civilians again. Clear?"

Their eyes locked in a battle of wills for a brief few seconds before Wrex relented with a growl. "Fine. Just civies though?"

"We do what is necessary," Ruby said stiffly, turning towards the far door leading to Fist's office. Wrex didn't comment, only followed as she led them to the office door and banged a fist on it loudly.

"Fist!" she shouted through it. "We need to talk! Come out peacefully and you will not be harmed!"

Nothing.

"I don't think that was the best idea, Commander," Garrus said, readying his assault rifle.

"Everyone deserves a chance," Ruby replied. "Besides, now we can say we tried to resolve things peacefully."

She slapped the door controls, bringing Crescent Rose up as she stormed in with Garrus. There, behind a desk stood Fist, a shotgun of unknown make raised in his hands. And to either side of the desk was...

"Shit!" Ruby swore as she grabbed Garrus and pulled him down behind a crate, just as the two auto-turrets by the desk opened up on their position.

"You were right," she said, glancing at Garrus as they cowered behind the crate as round chipped away at the side. "Bad idea."

"Got any _good_ ideas?" Garrus asked as both the turrets and Fist turned their attention to Wrex, forcing him back into cover behind the door frame.

"A few."

As Kaidan peeked around the door frame, Ruby shot him a few quick hand signals. The man nodded, informed Ashley and prepared himself for what came next.

"Hello!" Ruby shouted cheerily, popping her head over the crate with a broad smile. Instantly the turrets locked on to her and she ducked back down. But the distraction was all it took to allow two grenades to fly from the door, landing beside each of the turrets. A second later they detonated, blowing the turrets into scrap.

As the explosions faded, Ruby and Garrus lept from cover and charged Fist, knocked back against the wall by the blasts. Despite her natural speed, Ruby was a second too slow as Garrus beat her around the desk and socked the crime lord across the jaw, sending him to the ground. Before he could recover, Ruby yanked the shotgun out of his hand. She examined it for a moment, then tossed it over her shoulder with a snort.

What was a big powerful guy like him doing using a Storm of all things, and a Mark III at that?

The rest of the squad gathered behind her as Fist cowered against the wall.

"Alright Fist," Ruby said with a humourless smirk. "We need to talk."

The man shrank back as Ruby took a step closer, towering over him as she holstered Crescent Rose and crossed her arms, smirk gone. "The Quarian, where is she?"

"S-she's not here," Fist stammered.

"Where is she then?" Ruby repeated. "We know you set up a meeting. Where is it?"

Behind her, Wrex racked his shotgun.

Fist blanched, pressing himself against the wall as if trying to phase through it. "A-an alleyway, n-not far from here. I-it starts in a few minutes. You can make it you hurry."

"There are a lot of alleys here. Be more specific."

In response, Fist brought up his omni-tool and sent her a set of coordinates, trembling the whole while. "There, t-that's where it is. N-now can you-"

Ruby held up a hand, forestalling him. "We're the ones in charge here, Fist." She glanced over at Garrus. "Cuff this miserable bastard. I'm sure C-Sec would appreciate-"

A loud retort interrupted her, and Ruby started back as Fist's head exploded in a fountain of blood. Then all eyes shot to Wrex, his smoking shotgun pointed at the corpse and face impassive.

As he opened his mouth to speak, Ruby shot over in a burst of petals and punched him hard across the jaw, knocking his head to the side.

"What the hell was that?!" she shouted, face twisted in fury. "He'd surrendered!"

"I was hired to kill him," Wrex spat, rubbing his jaw. Despite just being a human she packed a mean right hook. "And I always finish the job."

He squawked in surprise, a manly Krogan squawk, as Ruby grabbed the collar of his armor and wanked him down to eye level with impressive strength.

"We do not kill unarmed prisoners," she growled, silver eyes boring into his red ones. "So long as you are with me you will follow that rule. Am I understood?"

Despite being a Krogan Battlemaster, with centuries of facing down the deadliest people the galaxy had to offer, Wrex couldn't help but shift nervously as the silver eyes drill into him. There was something in them, a fire burning behind them that made his blood run cold.

He had faced eyes like this once before, in the head of another Krogan Battlemaster he'd met in his early years. That single meeting would stay with him for the rest of his life. You don't just forget something like... _that_.

"Fine," he ground out and Ruby shoved him back with a glare. Then she pulled up her omni-tool and looked over what Fist had given them.

"The meeting is about a kilometer away," she reported, sending the all the info before putting her device away and heading for the door. "We need to hustle. I don't think Saren's goons will wait for us."

As they reentered the main club area, the front door hissed open and about a dozen armored mercs stormed in. As they spotted the motley crew they raised their rifles as one and opened fire. At a quick shout the team separated, finding cover wherever they could.

Skidding behind an overturned table, Ruby ducked as hostile fire chipped away at it's sides. "More of Saren's men?"

"Looks like it," Wrex replied, rising up from behind the bar to blast a merc in the chest.

Biting back a string of cruses, Ruby looked down at Crsecent Rose. After a moment of consideration she switched off the concussive rounds. This was necessary.

She leaned out of cover and fired, taking the head off a merc just popping out of cover with a thunderous retort. She fired at another but missed by an inch as he ducked back into cover.

"We don't have time for this!" she shouted over the noise as her squad returned fire. They were making headway against the mercs, but it wasn't fast enough.

Garrus ducked behind a booth as incoming fire peppered his position. As he hunkered there, his face lit up in inspiration.

"How fast can you run, Commander?" he shouted over to her.

"Fast enough," Ruby shouted back. "I can dodge their fire, but taking them out will be..." She trailed off, catching onto what he was saying.

"No!" she shouted, shooting him a look. "I am not leaving you here!"

"That meeting is going to start any minute!" Garrus shot back, leaning out of cover and taking a shot before ducking back. "If you don't get there that Quarian is as good as dead! Don't worry, we'll be fine."

Ruby opened her mouth to reply, then shut it. He was right. But was still hesitant to do so. She'd already lost one team because she wasn't there, she couldn't bare to loose another, as brief as their time together was. She looked over at Ashley, crouched behind another booth. The marine gave her a solemn nod.

"He's right, Commander," Kaidan said from behind another table. "Go! We can handle things here."

Still she hesitated, unbidden memories of the Blitz racing through her mind. "Are you sure?"

"Go!" Wrex shouted. "These guys are pushovers anyway."

"We'll meet you there," Garrus promised.

"That's what Shepard said," Ruby whispered, watching in her mind as the building went up in flames, taking her team with it. But she had to do this. For justice for Eden Prime... and Nihlus.

She gathered her speed, feeling the familiar rush flooding her limbs. When the others drew fire away she shot off like a bullet, trailing rose petals as she sped through the open door of the club and back into the wards.

She ducked and weaved through the crowds, appearing as nothing more then a red blur followed by a blast of turbulence as she followed the directions Fist had given her. Soon the crowds thinned just enough for her to see the alleyway as she blew by. She swore, pulled a hard turn, wheeling around and entered the alley. She sped down a small flight of stairs and let out a yelp as she almost crashed into the figure at the bottom, stopping just in time.

The figure, a Quarian girl in a purple environment suit with a purple visor, started, jumping almost a foot in the air as Ruby stopped behind her, fumbling for a shotgun holstered above her hips.

"Wowwowwowwowwow!" Ruby babbled holding up her hands, trying to forestall the girl. "Hey, calm down, alright."

"Who are you?" the Quarian shouted, finally drawing the shotgun and pointing it at Ruby's face. "You aren't the Shadow Broker!... Or are you?"

Fighting the urge to knock the gun aside, Ruby took a quick glance over the Quarian's shoulder. The alley was empty.

Good, she was early.

"Listen, I'm here to help," she said slowly, keeping her hands up in a placating gesture.

"Are you the Shadow Broker?" the Quarian demanded, lowering her shotgun slightly.

"Fist sold you out," Ruby said, ignoring the question.

The Quarian froze, eyes shining behind her mask as they widened in shock. "He...he did what?"

"He sold you out to Saren," Ruby said solemnly. "The Shadow Broker isn't coming, Saren's men are. They ambushed us back at Fist's place."

As the Quarian digested this information, Ruby couldn't help but flick her eyes down to the shotgun in her face. She could help but grimace at what she saw.

"A TitanT2?" she winced. "You got to be kidding me."

"What?"

"Who uses a TitanT2? There's a reason they were discontinued, like, twenty years ago!"

"It was a gift from my aunt!" the Quarian snapped, pressing the shotgun closer. "Now who are you?"

"My name is Commander Rose," Ruby answered. "And you are?"

There was a short pause. "Tali. Tali'Zorah Nar Rayya."

"Okay Tali, let's just calm down here and-"

"Hey!"

They both whipped their heads around towards the voice. A Turian stalked towards them from the other end of the alley, flanked by two Salarians in full armor and weapons in their hands. As they got closer, the Turian jabbed a finger at Ruby. "Who are you?"

Ruby's eyes narrowed as she watched them approach. Saren's men, of that she was sure. Only one way to tell.

"I'm Commander Ro-"

The moment the first syllable of her name was out the Turian started, a panicked look coming over his face as he reached for the pistol at his hip. Okay, that ruled them out of the friendly list.

Shoving Tali to the side Ruby dashed forward in a blur of rose petals. There was no time to draw Crescent Rose so she went low, sliding at the last possible moment and took the Turian's legs out from under him as she slid past. Before she'd even come to a stop she lashed out, punching one of the Salarians in the knee and felt the bone break under her blow. As he fell, she grabbed the pistol out of his hands and turned it on his friend, loosing three shots in a second. The first two shattered his barriers before the third entered his helmet. As the body fell, she turned the first Salarian, finishing him off with a shot pointblank to the head before jumping to her feet.

The Turian was just crawling to his knees, reaching for his pistol that had fallen to the ground before he felt the cold chill of a barrel pressed against the back of his head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Ruby said coldly as the Turian raised his hands in surrender.

She had nothing to cuff him with, and she couldn't wait here guarding him. She was just about to knock him out the old fashioned way when an idea came to her. It wouldn't hurt to have a little more evidence.

"Who do you work for?" she demanded, pressing the pistol deeper into his head. Sparing a brief glance upward, she saw Tali approaching tentatively, hands gripping her TitanT2.

When the Turian stubbornly remained silent, Ruby pressed on. "Come on, don't make this any harder then it has to be."

"Go to hell, human," the Turian spat.

Ruby sighed. Why did they always want to do it the hard way. But she supposed it didn't make much difference if he talked now or later. She knew he worked for Saren, him being here to intercept Tali was proof enough of that. C-Sec would get the name out of him eventually. More fuel to the fire.

With that decided, she smote him in the back of the head and he fell to the ground, unconscious. She checked for a pulse briefly, then rose to face Tali with a smile. "Believe me now?"

"I... uh..." Tali stammered, glancing between the cluster of bodies and the Commander. "T-thank you."

"No problem," Ruby said, stepping over and resting a hand on her shoulder. "Now, are you hurt? They didn't get you, did they?"

"No, I'm alright. Just getting over a small infection from earlier, but that's it."

Ruby's face twisted in concern. "An infection is a pretty serious thing for a Quarian."

"I'm alright, really," Tali assured her.

"Good," Ruby said, face turning serious. "Because now I need your help. I'm looking for evidence to prove that Saren is a traitor and responsible for attacking Eden Prime, and I've been told you have it."

Tali's face brightened behind her mask. "Oh. Then I have a way to thank you for saving my life. But I can't give it to you here. We need to go somewhere safe."

"Uh..." Ruby trailed off awkwardly, glancing around. "I really hate to break it to you but we're running short on time. Saren's trial is starting soon and if we're not there then this whole thing is going to be swept under the rug. This is about as safe as we're going to get."

Tali's head dipped, worry practically oozing from her. Suddenly her head shot up, looking at something over Ruby's shoulder. Following her gaze, Ruby felt a great rush of relief as she saw the rest of the team strolling towards them from the street. Their armor was scuffed and Kaidan was walking with a slight limp, but they were alright.

Smiling, Ruby turned back to Tali. "Well, it's defiantly safe now." Then her face turned serious again. "Tali, please, we're running out of time. We need that evidence."

"And your testimony," Garrus added as the others stopped behind them. "For starters what is it?"

"It's an audio recording," Tali replied. "I managed to salvage it out of a Geth memory core during my travels for my Pilgrimage. It was hard to say the least. Geth usually fry their memory cores when they're destroyed, but if you're quick enough sometimes small caches of data can be saved."

"And this recording is one of them?" Ruby asked.

"Yes. Here, listen."

Tali brought up her omni-tool and tapped the screen. From it issued a loud, cold voice that sent shivers down Ruby's spine. She knew that voice all too well.

Saren.

" **Eden Prime was a major victory. The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit.** "

"That's Saren's voice!" Garrus crowed triumphantly. "This-"

"Wait," Tali interrupted, raising a hand. "There's more."

They barely caught the second voice, female this time, as it boomed, " **And one step closer to the return of the Reapers.** "

Silence filled the alley as the recording ended. Though Ruby was glad their whole search wasn't in vain, something about the recording sounded... off. Not the people speaking, but something beneath them. She just couldn't figure out what it was.

"Could you play it again?" she asked, cutting off Garrus' excited examinations.

Tali rewound the tape without a word and let it play. Again the two voices proclaimed their message to the world, and again Ruby heard it. A low thrumming sound, so low she almost missed it, that kept rising in pitch at odd intervals. It sounded just like a breath of wind flowing through the mountains, twisting and distorting so it could sound just like... someone whispering. The more she focused on it the more she was sure of it. Someone was whispering in the background.

"Does anyone else hear that?" she asked. The others all looked at her with puzzled expressions.

"Hear what, Commander?" Ashley asked.

"I don't know. It's like... someone whispering. None of you hear that?"

Tali replayed the clip again and they all listened closely.

"No," said Garrus after a moment. "Nothing like that. There is a bit of background noise though. Must be a ship's engine."

Scowling, Ruby scratched her chin. So just her, huh? She knew what she heard, it _was_ there, but why couldn't anyone else hear it? She thought about it for another moment then shook her head. They had more important things to worry about.

"No matter, we got what we came for. Kaidan, time count?"

The man glanced at his omni-tool and winced. "Fifteen minutes, Commander."

"And how long would it take to get to the Council Chambers?"

"Fifteen minutes," Garrus replied nervously. "Give or take a few."

The was a split second of silence.

"Skycar now!

* * *

 **Updated: March 7, 2017  
**


	9. The True Hunt Begins

Garrus jammed down the accelerator, pushing the Skycar to it's limits. His C-Sec authorization in the main navigation system kept the car from getting flagged by the authorities and pulled over, something that would stop their whole quest dead in it's tracks. As it was, Ruby cared little about his driving, merely blinking as he swerved around a slow moving vehicle. Tali, on the other hand, seated in the back, clutched the sides of her chair in panic.

She considered it lucky that the Skycar station they stopped at had one of the earlier models parked there. Smaller then it's four seater counterpart, this model only had three, but was faster and more manoeuvrable, a feature that was serving them well right now.

In light of the rapidly approaching trial, Ruby had taken Garrus and Tali along for the ride, leaving the others to wait for another car. Garrus because he could get them there legally in a timely matter and Tali for the evidence. The others would take another Skycar up. She really hoped the two marines and Krogan could get along for the trip.

She should have felt happy. They had Saren in the bag, he couldn't get away from this. But that recording had put her on edge.

That whispering... she _had_ heard it. It WAS there, but somehow only she could hear it. Why couldn't anyone else? No. They could hear something, but like Garrus said, it was just a ship's engine. So they just couldn't understand it, was that it? Did her powers have something to do with this?

And though she could barely hear it at all, whatever it said made her blood run cold and grated against her mind like sandpaper. Overall it sounded like the whispers of a dead ghost speaking from beyond the grave.

She shivered at the thought.

Quite suddenly the Skycar tipped into an upward dive and Ruby shook herself out of her thoughts. They were coming up on the Citadel tower, the tall spire that was in the middle of the ring of the Presidium, nestled between the five arms of the massive space station.

His face screwed up in concentration, Garrus guided the craft through the heavy traffic surrounding the tower before starting a steep assent to a Skycar station at the top.

After taking in their location, Ruby checked her omni-tool and swore.

"Two minutes," she reported, scowling.

"That's good, right?" Tali asked shakily. "Time to spare?"

Garrus shook his head. "We don't know if the Council started early or not. Maybe they just want to get this whole thing over and done with."

"And there's no chance they'll accept the evidence if we're late?" Ruby asked.

He shrugged. "Doubtful. They'll probably have walked out by then. This is a big embarrassment to them. They'll want to put it behind them as soon as possible."

"So they won't accept evidence? Even if it's real?" Tali asked, eyes widening. "That's..."

"Yeah," Garrus grunted. "But don't worry. We'll make in time."

"Or just be fashionably late," Ruby shrugged. "Better late then never, right?"

"They could accuse us of forgery," Garrus interjected. "If your ambassador looses the case and we walk in ten minutes later claiming we have evidence Saren could say we forged it out of spite. No. We need to get it there for the trial and present it while it's in order."

The Skycar dipped as he brought it into the station at the top. The instant it set down Ruby tore the door open and ushered out the other two. Then they began running with all their strength through the twisting corridors of the Tower. Ruby had to force her speed down as she felt the seconds inch past, each one lowering their chances of success.

Then a door came into view at the far end of the corridor they were in and Ruby's heart lept as she saw it. They dashed through it and entered into the cathedral like room that was the Council Chambers. A long line of stairs with potted plants and trees on either side led up a large pit set into the floor. On the far side stood the Council, gazing over at Udina and Anderson who stood on the other side. To the right of the Council was a giant hologram of Saren. His appearance hadn't changed much since she'd last seen him. His dull silver armor and prosthetic arm still the same as ever. But his face seemed more drawn then usual, like he was getting over a sickness.

"...Commander Rose's admission into the Spectres is not the purpose of this meeting," Tevos' voice echoed through the room.

Worry twisted Ruby's gut. They'd started early. She started up the steps, three at a time, the others following close behind.

"This meeting has no purpose," Saren's voice boomed with disdain. "The humans are wasting your time, Councillors. And mine."

There was a moment of silence, then Tevos spoke again. "Do you have anything else to add, Ambassador?"

"No," came Udina's voice, low with resentment and anger.

"Very well. If there is nothing else we will..."

They were going to end it! Out of desperation, Ruby allowed her speed to explode forth, shooting forward in a burst of rose petals before stopping next to Udina and Anderson, jabbing a finger into the air and screaming "OBJECTION!"

All noise in the Council Chambers stopped as all eyes turned to stare at her. It took Ruby to moment to realize what she just said, then shrugged. "Spur of the moment. So sue me."

"Commander Rose," Councillor Tevos said, raising an eyebrow. "Your Ambassador said you wouldn't be joining us."

"Yes, I did," Udina growled, turning to glower at her. "What _are_ you doing here, Commander?"

"Making your day, Ambassador," Ruby grinned back, then turned to the Council. "Councillors, I have evidence linking Saren to the Geth attack on Eden Prime and, by extension, the death of Nihlus Kryik."

Murmurs of surprise and shock filled the room as everyone observing the proceedings started talking. Even the Councillors themselves appeared stunned. But most satisfying of all was the look of anger that flashed across Saren's face before he hid it behind a mask of cool indifference.

After collecting herself, Tevos raised her hands and the room quieted, then said. "If what you say is true, Commander, why was it not submitted to C-Sec for the hearing?"

"Because we only got it half an hour ago, Councillor."

Saren scoffed, looking ever so smug. "Please. This is a forgery. I've already made it clear I was nowhere near Eden Prime. You just couldn't bare the thought of losing could you, Commander?"

Ruby's jaw clenched as she bit back an insult she knew she'd regret. Her only consolation was the thought that soon that smug look would be wiped clean of his face.

"But if you insist," Saren sighed, looking resigned. "I'll weather these accusations. Go ahead and embarrass yourself, just make it quick. I have things to do."

Before anyone else could say anything, Tali and Garrus ran up the steps and stopped behind Ruby, panting.

"Those stairs... are not made... for Turians," Garrus panted, bending over and taking a deep breath before straightening.

Ruby ignored him for the moment, instead taking Tali lightly by the shoulder and presenting her to the Council. "Councillors, this is Tali'Zorah, our source of the evidence."

More murmurs went through the room at the sight of Quarian of all things standing before them. Tevos silenced them again with a raised hand.

"I see. Miss Zorah, what is this evidence you bring before us and how did you acquire it?"

Tali stepped forwards nervously. No wonder, she was probably the first Quarian to stand before the Citadel Council in three hundred years. Then she started to speak, slowly and haltingly at first but gaining momentum every second.

She told them, in greater detail, how she had set out from the Migrant Fleet, the travelling home of the Quarian peaple after they were exiled into space for creating the Geth, for her Pilgrimage; the Quarian rite of passage into adulthood. She then went onto tell about her travels to a planet just hovering on the edge of Geth space with a group of other Quarians, how they managed to ambush a Geth patrol and how she had managed to salvage it's memory core and obtain the recording. Then how she'd gotten onto the Citadel, continuing onto being hunted by Saren's men, going to the clinic, fleeing to Fist and finally to where she'd met Ruby in the alley.

"...and, here I am," she finished.

The room was dead silent as everyone processed the story. Though, when she looked over at him, Ruby could see Saren's face twisted in anger. Most likely at how his assassins had failed in their mission. She threw him a smirk then turned back as the Council started to speak.

"A most interesting tale," Valern said. "But, how can we be sure that this recording you have isn't a forgery."

"A ran it through all the detection software C-Sec has on our way here, Councillor," Garrus spoke up, stepping forward. "It's genuine."

The Council conversed quietly among themselves before turning back.

"Very well," Tevos said. "Let us hear it."

Tali nodded and brought up her omni-tool. She fiddled with it for a moment, then the booming voice of Saren echoed throughout the chamber.

" **Eden Prime was a major victory. The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the conduit.** "

" **And one step closer to the return of the Reapers,** " the second voiced added a moment later.

As the recording cut out, dead silence took it's place. For almost a full minute no one moved. Then, slowly, the Council's eyes turned toward the hologram of Saren.

"Saren," Councillor Sparatus said, his voice a strange mixture of betrayal and anger. "What is the meaning of this?"

Saren regarded him coldly for a moment, then turned to glare at Ruby. "This isn't over, Commander," he growled, then the hologram flickered and vanished.

Ruby couldn't hold back the victorious grin as the chamber erupted into noise. The gathered assembly was a buzz with activity, everyone expressing their own opinion at Saren's guilt. It took minutes before the Council could bring the noise down, looking shaken the whole while. It wasn't everyday your top agent was accused, proven guilty and then confirmed that he was a traitor. Before too long, they finally managed to the noise level down.

"This evidence is irrefutable," Tevos said. She spared a glance over at Sparatus, but the Turian's face was set in an inscrutable mask. Then she continued, "Saren will be stripped of his Spectre status and all efforts will be made to bring him in to answer for his crimes."

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "I recognize the other voice as well, the one speaking with Saren. Matriarch Benezia."

"Her?" Ruby asked. "I thought it sounded familiar, but her?"

Tevos raised an eyeridge. "You've met her before?"

"Once," Ruby shrugged. "Just a brief meeting. She seemed nice enough, if a little distracted."

"Then you know her standing. She is a powerful biotic and has many followers. She will make a formidable ally for Saren. I only wish we knew how Saren convinced her to join him. She is wise, even among the other Matriarchs, and would not follow this path willingly."

"I'm more interested in these Reapers she's talking about," Valern said, scratching his chin. "What do we know about them."

Automatically, all eyes turned to Tali, the only real Geth expert in the room.

"Well," she began. "According to the memory core, the Reapers are a hyper-advanced machine race that existed fifty thousand years ago. They hunted the Protheans to total extinction, then vanished. At least, that's what the Geth believe."

Suddenly Ruby's vision flashed, the images from the beacon on Eden Prime flashing behind her eyes. Death and destruction on a galactic scale all laid out before her very eyes. And there, in the sky, millions of black shapes descending, burning all in their path. Nothing was left in their wake but fire.

She blinked and the vision vanished as Tali continued.

"The Geth revere the Reapers as gods, the pinnacle of non-organic life. And they believe Saren knows how to bring the Reapers back. As for what the conduit is, I have no idea. There was nothing on it in the memory core."

"But if Saren is looking for it then it must be something important," Anderson spoke up, stepping forward. "A piece of Prothean technology... like a weapon."

"No," Ruby said quietly, drawing all eyes towards her. "It's not a weapon. Benezia said it herself, the conduit is there to bring back the Reapers. Saren's not just a threat to humans now but every species out there. If he does bring them back then we'll all die."

She wanted to say more, to tell the Council about her visions from the beacon. But if she knew one thing about the Council, bringing up raw speculation based on dreams or hunches was a sure way to get your case shot down. That, and she was already an enigma to begin with. She didn't need people thinking she was a freak and crazy. She'd come back with it when she more evidence on it, that would change their minds.

"Whether or not these Reapers really exist is not the topic at hand," Tevos said. "Commander, you proved Saren betrayed the Council and that he is using the Geth to search for the conduit, but we don't know why."

"The Reapers are obviously just a myth," Valern added. "A convenient lie to cover Saren's true purpose. A legend he is using to bend the Geth to his will."

"Are you really willing to bet your own people on that logic?"

Ruby, everyone in fact, blinked in surprise and stared at Sparatus, who glared at his fellow Councillors. Out of all of them he was the last one Ruby expected to believe anything about the Reapers.

"Sparatus," Valern gaped at him. "You can't possibly believe this? The idea itself is too absurd. A machine race that wiped out the Protheans, please. If they did we would have found some proof by now. There is nothing to prove that the Reapers are responsible for this."

"You say the same thing about STG operations," Sparatus retorted.

Valern's face went slack and he looked like he'd just bitten into a sour grape.

"Councillors please," Tevos said. "We have more important things to worry about."

"Agreed," Sparatus nodded, crossing his arms and face twisting into a snarl. "We can't have a rogue Spectre running around. Even without his rights or resources he is still a dangerous individual. And since he has the Geth, it makes him all the harder to get to."

"Then send in your fleets!" Udina shouted. "We know he's hiding somewhere in the Traverse."

"A fleet cannot track down one man," Valern said tactfully.

"A Citadel fleet could secure the entire region," the ambassador countered. "Keep the Geth from attacking anymore of our colonies."

"Or it could trigger a war with the Terminus systems," Sparatus said. "The Council will not be dragged into a war because of a single manhunt."

His eyes settled on Ruby and his gaze turned thoughtful. "There is... another way, however."

By unspoken consent all three members of the Council turned away, discussing with each other in hushed tones. Everyone waited anxiously for a minute before they turned back and addressed Ruby.

"Commander Rose," Tevos said solemnly. "Step forward."

Ruby hesitated, unsure of what was going on. She cast a questioning look over at Udina. The man's face was an odd mixture of surprise and joy. When he caught her gaze he scowled and motioned for her to comply. She did so, stepping forward as all the others took a step back, leaving her standing alone before the Council.

"It is the decision of the Council," the Asari began, "that you be granted all the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel."

Ruby's jaw dropped, as did the jaws of everyone else in the room. The Spectres? She was going to be made a _Spectre_?

"Spectres are not trained," Valern said, as if part of a ceremony. "They are chosen. Individuals forged in the fires of service and battle, those who's actions elevate them above the rank and file."

"Spectres are an ideal, a symbol," Tevos said next. "The embodiment of courage, determination and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will."

Next, Sparatus spoke. "Spectres bear a great burden. They are protectors of galactic peace, both our first and last line of defence. They safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold."

"You are the first human Spectre, Commander," Tevos said finally. "This is a great accomplishment for you and your entire species."

"I..." Ruby stammered, unable to form words. "I... I'm honoured, Councillors."

"We are sending you into the Traverse after Saren. He is a fugitive from justice, so you are authorized to use any means necessary to apprehend or eliminate him," Valern said.

"I understand, Councillors," Ruby said with a small bow. "Though I don't know where to start looking."

"We will forward all relevant files to Ambassador Udina," Sparatus replied.

"This meeting of the Council is adjourned," Tevos proclaimed, allowing her voice to fill the room. Without a backward glance, the Councillors walked away, heading for their own private offices.

After watching them go for a second, Ruby turned back to the people gathered behind her. Garrus was grinning broadly at her. It was harder to tell with Tali, with her mask and all, but Ruby could feel the smile emanating from behind it. Udina... well, she wouldn't say he was smiling, but it was the first time she'd ever seen him happy when dealing with her. As she turned to Anderson, he stepped forward, a broad smile spreading across his features.

"Congratulations Ruby," he said, giving her a firm handshake.

"Though now we've got a lot of work to do," Udina said, his ever present scowl back on his face. "You're going to need a ship, a crew, supplies..." He trailed, looking thoughtful.

"Anderson, come with me. I'll need your help setting all this up." With he turned and walked away, Anderson following behind him.

"Well... that was a thing," Ruby said, turning to Garrus and Tali.

The Turian snorted. "I wouldn't call becoming the first human Spectre 'just a thing.' All the same congratulations."

"Yes, congratulations," Tali said, wringing her hands nervously. "Though... I want to ask a favour of you."

"Go ahead," Ruby said, smiling softly. "It's the least I can do."

"I want to come with you."

Her request caught Ruby off guard. She'd been expecting a reward of some kind, but not this.

"To hunt Saren? Why?"

Tali's hand wringing increased in speed. "The point of our Pilgrimage is prove that we can give of ourselves for the greater good. What does it say about me if I turn my back on this? Please, Commander, I can fight. Just give me a chance."

Ruby wanted to say yes, she really did, but doubts and worries clawed at her. Despite her experience, evident by her staying alive this whole time while Saren was hunting her, she was still just a kid. Or maybe that was just her own bias and worry talking. You don't just go through N7 school without going through a change of perspective, especially one headed by Colonel Attila. After all that, things that would seem dangerous turned into mild annoyances.

And that was the issue. She could survive whatever Saren threw at them, but could Tali? She didn't want this young woman to die simply because she wanted to prove herself. There were plenty of ways to do that without going on a hunt for a rouge Spectre.

But then another thought occurred to her. Tali was the only real Geth expert they had. Her knowledge and expertise might come in handy. Besides, she didn't have to leave the ship if a mission proved to dangerous. And who knew, Tali might might be a good fighter after all.

"Welcome aboard, Tali," she said with a wide grin, clapping the Quarian on the shoulder. Then her eyes turned to Garrus. "What about you, Garrus? I could use a backup sniper."

"Sign me up," the Turian said. "Hunting down a rouge Spectre? That beats C-Sec any day. Wait... _backup_ sniper?"

"Uh, yeah," Ruby smirked. "When it comes to sniping, no one is better then me."

"Really? I'll have you know I am the top marksmen in all of C-Sec."

"Hah! That comes nowhere near best shot in the whole damn Alliance."

"I have a 0.94 percent accuracy rating on the range and a 1.63/1 shot to kill ratio on the field."

"Try and beat 1.07/1."

Garrus chuckled. "Okay, that's a little impressive."

"A little? How about a 0.969 rating with under a millimetre spread."

"Am I missing something here?" Tali asked meekly, glancing between the two as they argued playfully.

Ruby laughed. "No, not really. Its just a marksmen thing. But really, I am the best, Garrus. When I see you jump from a two story building and shot a pirate through the scope at two hundred yards then you can be the best."

Her challenge drew dumbfounded looks from both of them.

"You've really done that?" Tali asked, amazed.

"Minus the scope part," Ruby shrugged. "But hey, gotta set the bar high. Otherwise there would be no improvement from anyone."

"Yeah," Tali sighed, looking down, suddenly forlorn. "I know."

Ruby was just going to ask what had gotten her so down when her gaze shifted over the Quarian's shoulder and the three figures walking up the steps to meet them.

"There you are!" she exclaimed as Ashley, Kaidan and Wrex strolled up. "What took you so long?"

Immediately Ashley and Wrex turned their heads and glared at Kaidan who was scratching the back of his head looking sheepish.

"Ah... wrong button," he said.

"Sure," Wrex drawled. "You were just to distracted by the two big buttons on that Asari walking by. Don't see how that took us back to C-Sec Academy, should have taken us to a strip club or something."

"He hit the wrong button while ogling some Asari," Ashley summarized dryly. "Sorry we're late. What did we miss."

Ruby shrugged. "Aside from a pivotal point in human history, nothing much."

"And that would be?"

"I'm the first human Spectre!" Ruby exclaimed, throwing up her arms in celebration. "And our first mission: hunting down that bastard Saren!"

Kaidan looked confused. " _Us_ , Commander? I thought Spectres worked alone?"

"Well I don't, and I'll take all the help I can get. It'll be dangerous, so if you want to back out I won't hold it against you."

The two marines shared a glance, then turned back with matching grins.

"Sign us up, Commander."

Ruby nodded in satisfaction then looked to their resident Krogan. "What about you, Wrex? I could really use a walking tank on this one."

The Battlemaster looked thoughtful for the moment, then shrugged. "Fist is dead. My contract with the Shadow Broker is over... so why not. Count me in. Hunting down a Spectre will be the most fun I've had in centuries."

"Glad to have you all aboard then," Ruby grinned, looking them over. Then she walked over the Ashley and tapped the chest piece of her Phoenix I armor. "And our first order of business; getting you all some _real_ armor."

Ashley shot her an apprehensive look. "So... shopping?"

"Shopping," Ruby confirmed with a predatory grin.

"To the markets then?" Garrus asked.

Ruby's grin only grew wider.

"Nope."

-Linebreak-

"What are we doing back here?" Wrex asked, looking around at the clean courtyard of the C-Sec Academy. "The markets are in the wards."

"Yeah," Ruby shrugged, crossing her arms. "And they got some good stuff too. But when I was here during the... _experiments_ on me is that most of the real good stuff get confiscated by C-Sec. And it's all kept here."

With that, Ruby led her team through the bowels of the Academy, following a path both she and Garrus knew well. Soon they entered into the C-Sec requisition office. The place was empty except for the Turian requisition officer sitting behind a desk tapping at a terminal. After flashing her shinny new Spectre status they were given access to something Ruby thought she would never have: Spectre Requisitions. On top of that, she also requested to see the confiscated items list she knew C-Sec had on hand.

Unlike her usual gun shopping where she would meticulously pick through every single little detail about the firearm, her armor shopping was quick and to the point. If it was good, she got it. She was happy with her own Phoenix IIX armor, but she couldn't bear the thought of sending her team out in anything but the best.

Phoenix I. Ha!

In the end she managed to find a good few sets of Heavy Janissary VII for Ashley, a Medium Predature M VII for Kaidan and Medium Crisis VIII for Garrus. Finding some for Tali and Wrex proved to be a bit more difficult. That was where the confiscated items came in, though it was kind of awkward to find out most of the stuff on it came from cadavers left at crime scenes. It was disheartening for Tali to see exactly how much Quarian gear they had, but eventually she accepted the Light Colossus VIII Ruby found for her.

Wrex got a bit of a surprise when they managed to find a suit of Heavy Battlemaster X for him. When asked how that ended up in confiscated, the requisition officer showed them the helmet. A large hole was punched through the thick headpiece right between the eye pieces.

When asked about weapons, Ruby told them she'd be giving them guns from her own personal armory.

Once all the items had been gathered and shipped off to the Normandy, the officer brought up the issue of payment.

"Bill it to Udina," Ruby told him.

With that out of the way they all headed up to the docking bay where the Normandy was docked. As the elevator doors opened, Tali was instantly entranced by the sleek vessel. She bounded over to the railing, drooling over the sleek design. Garrus joined her, examining the vessel with a more critical eye, but still giving a nod to it's looks.

Wrex only grunted as he laid eyes on it.

"Damn Asari," he muttered.

"The Normandy is a joint Human-Turian project," Ruby told him. "The Asari had nothing to do with it, other then funding through the Council."

"You sure they didn't give the designers inspiration?" Wrex asked, gesturing. "I mean, look it at it. Not a straight line on it. It's the most Asari looking ship I've ever seen without it being Asari. Give it a straight blue paint job and you couldn't tell the difference."

Squinting, Ruby pushed her powers of imagination to the max, trying to picture what Wrex had described.

"Nah," she said, shaking her head. "The Normandy is too sharp to look Asari. Looks more like a bird of prey then a flying whale... or maybe a puma, I don't know."

Wrex grunted again.

Just then Ruby saw Anderson and Udina exit the docking tube leading to the ship. Leaving the others, she walked over to them, wondering what this was all about.

For as long as she'd known him Udina never came to the docks, unless it was to meet important dignitaries. And he certainly never toured Alliance ships or met the captains on their own turf, preferring to have them come to him rather then the other way around. She guessed it made him feel more important then he actually was. So what was this about then?

When she got close enough, Udina turned to meet her.

"Commander," he said. "I've big news for you. Captain Anderson is stepping down as commanding officer of the Normandy. The ship is yours now."

"She's quick, quiet and you know the crew," Anderson added. "A perfect ship for a Spectre. Treat her well, Commander."

"I-I will. Thank you, sir," Ruby stammered, slightly overwhelmed. Becoming the first human Spectre was big, sure, but getting her ship on top of that? Was it her birthday and no one told her? That was an actual possibility, as she had no idea when it was herself.

"While you gone we uncovered a lead on Saren," Udina spoke up. "Matriarch Benezia has a daughter, Doctor Liara T'Soni. She specializes in Prothean archaeology and was last reported on an archaeological dig on an uncharted world in the Artemis Tau Cluster. We don't know if she is involved with all this but it would be in your best interests to find her, see what she knows. That's the only real lead we have for you, Commander. The Geth have been awfully quiet since Eden Prime and there haven't been any sightings since. We'll inform you if we hear anything."

Then he scowled. "I don't think I need to remind you that you're the _first_ human Spectre. Everyone in the galaxy will be watching you, Commander. We can't afford any big mess ups on your part. Another indecent like Agaus will completely ruin us."

"You think I don't know that?" Ruby shot back, feeling her shoulder beginning to burn.

"I'm only making sure you understand what's at stake. Right now you represent the best of humanity. And if humanity's best goes and slaughters another colony then..."

"I get the point," Ruby growled through clenched teeth. "It won't happen again... _sir_."

"I'll hold you to that. Come, Anderson. We have work to do." Without a second glance, Udina turned and heading towards the elevator. Anderson was about to follow when Ruby caught his arm and stopped him.

"Why are you doing this, Anderson?" she asked softly. "You didn't need to step down."

"Actually I do," Anderson replied sullenly. "You're a Spectre now, and you answer only to the Council. You need your own ship under your own command. Can't have an Alliance Captain bogging you down."

Ruby sighed. "Come on, Anderson, I've known you for years. This whole matter with Saren is eating at you, isn't it?"

"Yes," the Captain admitted. "I had my chance to be a Spectre and I blew it."

"That's Saren's fault, not yours."

"That doesn't change anything. I failed... But now you have a chance to make up for my mistakes. I'd only be slowing you down if I came along."

He held out a hand and Ruby shook it solemnly. "Take care of yourself, Ruby."

"You too."

-Linebreak-

"This feels wrong."

Joker twisted in the pilot seat, turning to Ruby who lounged in the copilot seat next to him. She had just finished settling in the members of her new team.

Though the schedule for the sleeper pods was a tight fit she was confident she could find them room. Thankfully Wrex wasn't picky and claimed a pile of crates in the cargo bay as his resting place. To her knowledge he was still there, just leaning against them looking bored. Why? She had no idea.

When Tali had been showed the drive core of the ship Ruby found it impossible to drag her away from it. The young Qaurian was a natural engineer. She and chief engineer Adams hit it off well. Already they were working to improve the efficiency of the drive core with fantastic results.

Garrus... well, he hadn't really found anything to do yet. He had suggested that he could look at the M23 Mako Armored Personal Carrier down in the cargo bay, but she politely said no. That was her own special project. So he started helping Ashley performing weapon maintenance and ogling at her new Kovalyov X.

Kaidan told her some non-mission critical repairs were needed on one of the terminals in the mess hall, so that's what he was working on.

All in all, the team was in good shape.

"Yeah, I know," Joker sighed sighed. "A billion credits worth of funding and they couldn't even sneak in comfortable seats. I mean, would it have killed them to put some nice leather on them?"

Ruby snorted. "No, not that: Anderson."

"Oh."

"Yeah. This is just wrong. I feel like I'm stealing the ship from him."

"Well... backroom politics. What can you expect? But this is just sad. Survives hundreds of battles and he gets taken out by this. No self-respecting navy man should go down like that."

"Believe me, I know," Ruby sighed, eyes downcast. "It's just that he's done so much for me over years, it feels wrong to do this to him now."

Joker nodded. Though he didn't share Ruby's relationship with the Captain, he could sympathize with her. That feeling that your taking too much was something everyone felt at one point in their life.

They sat in silence for another minute, then Ruby shifted discontentedly in her seat.

"But yeah, got to agree with you on that," she muttered. "Leather seats. That would be perfect."

"Amen to that," Joker chuckled.

The controls in front of him started flashing and he leaned forward to check a display.

"We have departure clearance," he reported. "Commencing start up procedure."

As Joker's worked to bring the Normandy to operation status, Ruby reached for the intercom.

"Attention crew of the Normandy, this is Commander Rose," she said, satisfied to hear her voice echo throughout the ship behind her. "We have our mission: Hunt down Saren for his attack on Eden Prime and keep him from finding the conduit... whatever it is."

She paused briefly, collecting her thoughts. "I won't lie to you, but I think we've stumbled upon something larger then humanity itself. Saren believes that the conduit will bring back the Reapers, a machine race hellbent on destroying all life in the galaxy. Its a scary thought, I know, which makes this mission all the more important. This isn't just about justice for Eden Prime or even humanity's place in the galaxy anymore. Human, Turian, Asari, Krogan, Quarian, we all have the privilege of calling this galaxy home. If Saren brings back the Reapers then all that will end. But I promise you this: We _will_ stop him, for all our sakes."

She flicked off the intercom and leaned back in her seat, watching as Joker piloted the Normandy away from the Citadel.

"Good speech," Joker said. "I'm sure the Captain would be proud."

"Yeah, I'm sure he would," Ruby sighed. Then she straightened. "Alright, lets get this show on the road! Joker, set a course for the Artemis Tau Cluster. We got ourselves an Asari to find."

* * *

 **Updated: March 7, 2017**


	10. Of Dreams and coming Nightmares

_The ground shook beneath her feet as another explosion rocked the earth and still Ruby continued to run. Around her fire and smoke clogged the air, making her cough and her eyes water. But despite all the chaos around her, a great feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment filled her to the brim._

 _So this wasn't Mirdoir then. They were always filled with panic and fear as she tried to escape the flames._

 _No, this dream was a new one._

 _Suddenly she broke through the screen of smoke and emerged into the wide open expanse of a large warehouse. Around her towers of large square crates reached high up to the ceiling. Fire was everywhere, filling the building with a hellish heat and the groan of rending metal as the ceiling slowly caved in under the stress._

 _But she wasn't afraid. As her feet pounded across the smooth concrete, Ruby could see the hanger door on the far side and through it the pitch black of night._

 _Escape._

 _And there, far ahead and outlined by the blankness and lit from behind were three figures running to safety. Their details were clouded, but Ruby could tell that they were all female, possibly in their mid teens. One had hair and clothes as white as snow, perfectly outlined by the darkness outside. In stark contrast, the next girl had hair as black as the night surrounding it. The last girl had a brilliant cascade of golden locks that tumbled across her back, reaching all the way down to her waist, hiding most of the clothes she wore._

 _A smile slowly spread across Ruby's face as she watched them._

 _They were her team... her friends._

 _They had done it...though she had no idea what it was they had done or who those girls were. What she did know was that she needed to get the hell out before she burned to death._

 _As she watched, the three girls crossed the threshold into the darkness. Good, they were safe._

 _Suddenly her vision flashed in a red haze of pain as something yanked her back, pulling her legs out from under her, causing her to fall and bash her head against the ground. She lay there, stunned for a moment before pulling herself up and looked back._

 _A long red cloak trailed from her shoulders, and it was pinned to the ground by a piece of rubble that had fallen from the ceiling._

 _The cold chill of fear gripped her as she lept to her feet, desperately trying to pull herself free._

No _, she thought, watching herself struggle._ Don't pull! Take it off!

 _But she didn't, and Ruby was forced to watch as she ignored common sense, pulling at a helpless cause that would be the death of her. As expected, the cloak didn't budge. It didn't even tear._

 _As the flames climbed higher around her, she desperately looked out into the night. The three others were out, putting as much distance between them and the building as possible._

 _As Ruby watched, the one with the yellow hair looked back, golden locks flying. Deep, lavender colored eyes met hers, bright with laughter and eagerness. Then she saw the situation Ruby was in and all that drained away, replaced with pure, unadulterated terror._

" _RUBY!" a scream tore from her lips as the girl wheeled around, running back towards her as fast as she could._

 _For a moment, a spark of hope ignited in Ruby's chest. Then another explosion shook the ground, followed by a long moaning creak._

 _One of the towers of crates was listing towards her. Ruby felt her whole body go cold as she watched the tower fall on top of her, the lids of the crates falling open, disgorging a tidal wave of strange red colored crystalline powder... all falling towards her._

" _YANG!" she cried back, reaching out desperately, hoping for a miracle._

 _It never came._

 _Then the crates hit, the crystalline powder piercing her skin, crushing her be..._

-Linebreak-

Ruby woke up with a gasp, fighting the sheets that bound her as she jolted upright in a panic.

There was no fire and no warehouse. The deep blue walls of the XO quarters on the Normandy stared back as she fanatically looked about. She was here, safe in bed.

Nothing.

"A dream," she whispered to herself, falling back on the bed and shutting her eyes. "Just a dream."

But what a dream it was. It wasn't like the other guilt induced nightmares she'd suffered. This one had felt so real, like she was really there running for her life. But where would... where...?

A burst of anger shot through her as the dream started to fade from her mind, faster then ever. She fought it, hanging on to everything she could remember. Though she tried her hardest, she couldn't stop it from fading into a hazy blur, unrecognizable of her nightmares of Mirdoir. But there was one thing she managed to hold onto.

"Yang."

The name felt so familiar on her lips. With it came such a feeling of love that tears came to her eyes. An unexpected feeling of homesickness settled in and the walls of her room seemed even colder then before. She missed this... Yang, whoever she was.

Wiping her eyes, she rolled over and pulled the blankets back over her and tried to fall back asleep. But she couldn't. She just couldn't get her mind off of this. She found herself whispering the name over and over again, as if afraid that it would slip back into the dark reassesses of her mind if she stopped for a single moment.

After ten minutes of tossing and turning she gave up. Throwing the blankets off she sat on the side of the bed, massaging her face. She didn't care that it was still late at night, or early morning depending on how you looked at it, she just couldn't sleep after something like that.

But who was that girl, and why did she feeling like this? Homesick of all things? She didn't have a home. Not a true one, anyway. She lived where she was stationed and stayed with Chakwas from time to time when on leave, but she never had a place to truly call home.

Unbidden memories from when she interfaced with the beacon came to mind. A planet hanging in the darkness of space. Unknown... yet familiar. Then she remembered what that thing, Virgil, the voice in the beacon had said:

" _ **You were pulled from your place. Put in this cycle, but you are not part of it. You remain separate from your species... a**_ _ **r**_ _ **emnant pulled from a forgotten world.**_ "

"Remnant," she whispered, lost in her thoughts.

-Linebreak-

Now this was something Doctor Karin Chakwas hadn't seen in a long time.

Despite being a joint Human-Turian project, the Normandy was still maned by a full human crew. That entailed most things being geared towards humans, including the standard twenty-four hour day like back on earth. That being said, it was around 0200 hours when Chakwas finally finished her duties in the med-bay. With the new non-human ground team, she had taken dozens of medical scans as base references for later treatment if things went wrong. Now, finally finished, she was looking forward to a few good hours sleep before her next shift started tomorrow. But all thoughts of sleep were driven from her mind as she exited the med-bay and walked in on a sight that, while surprising, was all to familiar to her.

Ruby sat at the table in the mess hall, dressed a tank top and shorts, pouring over data pads that were scattered all over its surface. Her face betrayed the fatigue she felt as she scrolled through another pad before tossing it aside with a tired moan before letting her head fall to the table.

Karin smiled sadly. She remembered all those times years ago when she walked in on Ruby pouring over last minute homework for school. Though those events weren't nearly as numerous as when she caught the young girl in her own personal pursuits.

Dreams of her past life had plagued her back then, each one revealing some clue that always faded by morning. So Ruby would always search while the dream was still fresh. She would pour over her omni-tool for hours, searching for a name, a place, something.

Even now Chakwas could feel the same twangs of pity she'd felt coming back in full.

Ruby had worked so hard, searched every nook and cranny she could and still she couldn't find anything.

Chakwas quietly walked over and gently rested a hand on Ruby's shoulder. She felt the Commander stiffen briefly at the contact before she realized who it was.

"Karin," she murmured.

"You should be in bed," Chakwas said softly.

"Couldn't sleep."

"Dreams?"

Ruby moaned an affirmative.

Without a second thought to her own rest, Karin pulled out the chair beside her and sat down. "Tell me what you remember."

For the longest time Ruby said nothing, head buried in her arms. Then she sighed. "Does the name 'Remnant' mean anything to you?"

"Remnant," Karin repeated, deep in thought. "No, I can't say it does. Why?"

"Because... I think that's my home world. I saw it when the beacon was messing with my head." She looked up at Karin, eyes filled with a mixture of hope and despair as she gestured at the pads laid out before her. "I saw it. I actually remembered it's name and I can't find any damn trace of it."

She buried her head in her arms again, breathing heavily.

"At least you remember it," Chakwas smiled sadly, reaching over and hugging her. "That's hope at least. I know you'll keep searching and one day you _will_ find it."

"And what if I do find it?" Ruby looked up again with watering eyes. "What if I get there and my family is all dead? What if they don't recognize me? What if they don't _want_ me? I've..."

"Ruby stop," Karin said firmly. "They're your family and they would never turn you away."

"But..."

"But nothing," she cut her off in a comforting tone. "I've known you since we first found you. Anyone who can raise a girl as kind and considerate as you would love them until the end of time. The things you've done wouldn't matter to them. You hear me?"

Her lower lip trembling, Ruby hugged her back, relishing in her comfort. For a full minute they stayed like that, then Ruby pulled away.

"Thanks Karin," she murmured, eyes downcast. "Its just... I'm scared. This is the closest I've been in... I don't know how long. And what if I don't like what I find?"

"Then we'll get through it, just like we've always done."

Ruby looked up in surprise at her answer and met Karin's comforting face. "We?"

"I haven't left you, Ruby, and I never will. You're the daughter I never had and I would never abandon you to face something like this alone."

Ruby bowed her head, trying to hid the fact that her admission brought tears to her eyes. But Karin saw them all the same.

It never ceased to amaze Karin both how much and how little Ruby had changed. She was a grown woman, a hardened N7 veteran and one of the deadliest people in the galaxy. And yet here she was, brought to her knees by the simple fact that she would never be abandoned by those that loved her and that she could trust them until the end.

And Karin meant every word she said. Not even the riskiest of suicide missions would drive her from her adoptive daughter's side.

Suddenly she remembered something she got on the Citadel. That would defiantly cheer her up.

Rising from her chair she walked over to the little cupboard that housed Ruby's supplements. She could feel two silver eyes watching her every move as she reached in and pulled out a large brown and white striped box with the name 'Shavela Chafe' stamped on the front.

The instant she saw it, Ruby's eyes went wide. Then came the one thing she had somehow manged to retain while growing up. Her eyes widened to a near impossible size and her lower lip started to tremble. Karin couldn't help but laugh as she was once again beset by Ruby's almost irresistible kicked puppy expression. How a grown woman could pull it off just as well as a young teen Karin would never know. All she knew was that Ruby always pulled out the big guns when in the presence of her favourite sweet.

"One," she chuckled, opening the box and pulling out a single large chocolate chip cookie.

If it was possible Ruby's expression got even more pitiful.

"One," she repeated, though it was more to steel herself against the onslaught of guilt from denying such a face. She closed the box and put it away before she changed her mind. Then she tossed the cookie.

Ruby caught it one handed and took a small bite, shivered with delight at the taste.

"It's still warm," she sighed dreamily, then took another bite.

"When I heard what was going on with the evidence I decided to make a quick stop," Chakwas explained. "I knew you wouldn't have time to stop by the cafe, and I know how much you love the place. So I placed an order for you. Now I could only get the fifty pack, so please go easy on them."

"Don't worry I will," Ruby said, finishing off the last bite before licking the crumbs off her fingers wistfully. "I remember that last _disaster_ of a deployment."

"The mess hall running out of cookies is not considered a disaster."

"For you maybe. But on that day my moral plummeted below the darkest depths of the earths... or whatever planet that was."

Chakwas chuckled, shaking her head. She may have grown up, but Ruby was still as much a child as she was when she was younger.

"And now, bed," she said, going over and starting to gather the pads on the table. "You have a big day tomorrow. I doubt Saren will ignore a target like Doctor T'soni, especially since she's Benezia's daughter."

"Uh! Its the first day of school all over again," Ruby moaned, but getting up all the same. She knew the importance of this mission just as much as the rest of them. The Asari may have intel on Saren. More importantly, she was a Prothean expert and may just have an idea on what the conduit was.

Together they gathered up the pads before Ruby took them back with her to the XO quarters to try and grab another few hours of sleep before they arrived.

Karin watched her go with a smile on her face. Somehow that girl never seemed to grow up. She was one of the most well known commanders in the Alliance and she still had a notorious sweet tooth.

And she wouldn't have any other way.

Smiling, she walked towards one of the empty sleeper pods and climbed in before drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

-Linebreak-

Sovereign despised organics. Hated them in every scene of the word.

He was a Reaper, made to destroy all organic life in the galaxy. So to have the swishy beings practically crawling all over inside him was disgusting.

Currently he was floating in space, the tiny pathetic ships of the Geth fleet surrounding his two kilometer hull like flies to fresh meat.

The tiny machines actually _worshipped_ him, as well they should. It had been entertaining at first but then had started to bore him, then to anger him. But he couldn't lash out otherwise he could loose them as pawns. Because that was all they were: Pawns, puppets... his slaves. And he despised every last one of them, organic and synthetic alike.

Though... they were necessary.

He was one Reaper, the only Reaper left in the galaxy actually. All the others were off waiting in dark space outside the galaxy for the Citadel to activate it's Relay function, allowing them to come pouring into the heart of galactic civilization.

But they couldn't because the Protheans had sabotaged it somehow. The Citadel Relay was shut down, and it was his mission to get it back up again so the cycle could continue.

If only it was that simple.

Again, he was only one Reaper. If he just flew in all the races of the galaxy would destroy him, and that wouldn't do at all.

So he was left to a more subtle approach. Using... _organics_.

Over the years he had slowly built up an intelligence network using indoctrinated individuals that spanned a small part of the galaxy. But that hadn't gotten him very far, until Saren had wandered into his grasp.

He could have laughed at the Turian's idiocy. The fool actually believed that he, a mortal, could harness a Reaper to do his bidding. And in a way... he was. That was the true art of indoctrination. Saren had been with Sovereign for years, time that had not gone to waste. Every day Sovereign had slowly pushed at the Turian's mind, shaping him, molding him into the perfect servant. Now the Turian was utterly bent to his will, in an indoctrination cast so perfectly no one had noticed.

It was one thing to keep the subject from realizing he was being indoctrinated, but to hide that from everyone in the galaxy was a true work of art. Saren was a major figure in the Council, so to slowly shift his behaviour in front of them over the years so then they accepted it as the new normal was something Sovereign took pride in.

Most indoctrinations happened while the cycle was in full swing, when the Reapers were hunting down those last few places of resistance. Those indoctrinations were quick, meant to get an agent in and give away their position or gathering for the harvest. Often time they were discovered and eliminated because the quick indoctrination had left the person to much unlike themselves to pass as normal.

But with Saren, the Turian was so completely under his control and yet so... himself that you would never realize it. A true masterpiece in indoctrination.

Maybe he would keep the Turian, if only to brag to the other Reapers about what he'd accomplished. They all appreciated and respected the art of indoctrination. All could do it, but few could do it well.

Once he had Saren under his control he convinced the Geth to follow him as a fighting force.

It was embarrassing easy. The moment they laid optics on him and what he was they started worshipping him as the pinnacle of non-organic life. Of course he _was_ the pinnacle of non-organic life, but what annoyed him most was that they wanted to _become_ like him: True AI, as they said.

If he had been an organic, hypothetically speaking, the idea would have made him sick.

He was not an AI; he was a Reaper. They had no beginning and would have no end. The cycle was eternal. And the Geth would have no part in it. When they other Reapers came they would be wiped out just like the rest of the galaxy.

So yes, Sovereign hated organics. But they did have their uses.

They also had their draw backs. Such as the capacity for failure.

He had wanted to keep Saren a Spectre in their pathetic Citadel government for as long as possible. They had valuable Intel, not to mention direct access to the Citadel that he desperately needed.

It angered him that a single lowly human had managed to take that all away. It wouldn't have been so bad if that was all, but that same human had also accessed the Prothean beacon and now was hunting down Saren, and by extension him, before they could find the conduit.

Oh how he hated organics.

But still, this was only one human they were talking about. What could one human do to stop his master plan?

But that wasn't what Saren was thinking. The Turian was actually worried about this human, as if she had a hope of stopping them. It was at times like this that Sovereign regretted not reducing the Turian to an empty shell, open for his direct control.

So Sovereign was forced to watch as the Turian plotted in his throne, deep within his hull, trying to figure out a way to stop this human. This... Commander Rose.

A sudden curiosity at what could cause one of his best disciples to worry struck him. Saren might have been a fool, but he was not a foolish fool. So something that caused his confidence to shake just might be something to look into.

Just in case.

So the Reaper accessed Saren's files and found the Commander's file right on top. In fact the Turian was looking at it himself.

He found the usual information.

Name: Ruby Rose

Gender: Female

Rank: Commander

Date of Birth: Unknown.

That caused Sovereign a burst of amusement. Did the human actually forget when it was born? Typical.

Height: 5'11

Weight: 120 pounds

Hair: Black/Red

Eyes:... Silver

Sovereign felt a cold chill go down his length as he reread that single word.

No. That was impossible. She couldn't be one of them. They had wiped that breed from existence a long time ago.

Throwing caution to the wind he accessed that galaxy spanning network known as the extranet and searched for any references to Commander Rose. What he found did nothing to ease his worries. Thousands of articles and scientific reports on her mysterious ability; running faster then humanly possible.

So... she was one of them. Well, at least her variable power wasn't as bad as other... _individuals_ the Reapers had encountered in the past.

Throughout the cycles they bore many names, but there was one that transcended through the ages:

The Silver Eyed Warriors.

Put together they calmed the lives of more Reapers then all the cycles put together. Powerful, incorruptible, wielding strange powers that defied the laws of the universe. They had been the biggest thorn in the Reaper's side for a long time. They always resisted, always fought until the bitter end.

He had been there, burning the last Prothean stronghold to the ground and saw one of the last Silver Eyed Warriors of that age. His name was long forgotten, but his legacy was not. Twelve Reaper Destroyers burned to ashes by his gaze alone and countless thousands of thralls killed by his weapon before he was finally brought down by orbital strikes.

And Sovereign was one Reaper, standing alone against a Silver Eyed Warrior. The odds were not in his favor.

Though, as Sovereign looked deeper, there was some comfort to this situation. Aside from her speed, she boasted none of the other abilities and protection that they were known to have.

She was weak. A prefect opportunity to end her.

And he had just the way to do it.

Through Saren he gave out a command to the Geth, ordering a for a single husk they'd taken from the human planet of Eden Prime to be brought to a chamber deep within his frame. Once the husk was delivered and the Geth departed he commanded the husk and once again impaled it on a specialized implantation spike, much like the one that had made the human a husk in the first place, and got to work.

Slowly he shaped it, guiding the specialized nano-machines within the spike to form a myriad of implants inside and out of the cold corpse. It took hours, but soon the modifications were finished. Now came the final part.

Now there were a few misconceptions among organics in earlier cycles about Reaper indoctrination. Most of their facts were spot on. Continuous exposure to a Reaper would eventual indoctrinate organics, yes. But the main misconception was how the indoctrination field was made. No mere machine could hope to create a frequency capable of bending someone to it's will. That was what made the Reapers different, more then mere machines.

It all started at the end of every cycle when a new Reaper was made out of the ashes. Out of all the species of that cycle a few would be chosen to become ascended... to become a Reaper.

These species, along with the rest, would be hunted down to extinction. However, with the chosen species special care would be taken to indoctrinate as many of them as possible and save them for later proposes. The billions of corpses left in the wake however were harvested, the bodies broken down to their base materials. These would be refined and used to create one of the strongest alloys in the galaxy, which would be used to form the hull of the new Reaper.

Next came the complicated part: Giving life to the shell. _True_ life.

A Soul.

If only the Silver Eyed Warriors knew the true scope of what they'd given the Reapers by revealing their powers. For though they were extremely hard to kill, they never hesitated to flaunt their powers to destroy the Reapers. Through careful observation and study they had managed to find the source of their powers: Their very souls. Or, as many species had called it; Aura.

It had taken the Reapers many cycles of study to realize this, but once they did they immediately capitalized on it. A power source like that was not to be put to waste. It had taken centuries more, but eventually they had found a way to harvest the Aura from the living bodies.

Once the extermination was complete, ones that had been saved would then be refined. Their Auras ripped from their bodies and merged and formed into one giant entity which was then implanted in the Reaper hull, breathing life into the empty shell.

Thus, a new Reaper was created, born from the ashes of the fallen.

The only downside was that the process stripped the combined Aura of any special abilities the singular souls might have possessed. But that was over shadowed by the mind altering capabilities the Reapers possessed. Grating their very souls against the minds of organics, corrupting them from the inside out. That was the big misconception about indoctrination. It was no feat of mere technology, but something that the mortal organic couldn't comprehend.

So no, he was not an AI as the Geth thought. He was a Reaper. A being that transcended the limitations of mere flesh and circuits. A true god in their eyes.

A contented rumble passed through his frame as he examined the finished husk with a critical eye before deciding that it met his expectations.

Then he drew himself together, entering a meditative state as he felt inward, past the cold metal of his insides until he felt the burning touch of energy that was his very being. With careful precision he calculated how much was necessary, then cut off a piece of his soul. It wasn't painful, though he could feel the dip in his life force as the piece departed. Then he sent it racing through his hull, up the spike and into the husk.

For a moment nothing happened. Then the husk started to stir.

Satisfied, Sovereign retracted the spike, allowing the husk to fall to the cold floor. It twitched for a moment before staggering to it's feet. Then it opened up it's mouth and screamed.

All throughout Sovereign's hull Geth froze in their tracks, listening as the terrible sound echoed through the massive vessel.

For a synthetic species incapable of emotions it should have been a momentous day. For the first time since their creation they had truly felt their first real emotion:

Fear.

* * *

 **Updated: March 7, 2017**


	11. Contact: Therum

With a heave Ruby threw the lid of the crate open and gazed inside. A savage grin that would have scared the socks off a Krogan spread across her lips as she reached in a pulled out five heavily modified Karpov X pistols. Satisfied with her catch, she turned and handed them out to her team, savouring their looks of astonishment as they accepted the new weapons. Their new armor gleaming under the lights of the Normandy's cargo bay.

"Karpov," Garrus said in awe, turning the pistol over in his hands. "You know how much these cost, right?"

"Yep," Ruby answered, popping the 'p' as she dug through the crate again.

"So how did you manage to get _five_ of them? It would take my whole savings to get one of these."

"I have ten of them actually. But that's nothing," she replied cheekily, turning back to them. The squad's eyes almost bugged out of their heads as they saw the five Volkov X sniper rifles in her arms.

Grinning even wider she handed them out as well, having to close Garrus' limp hands around the weapon to keep it from falling out from his shock.

When she emerged from another crate baring five Sokolov X shotguns Ashley couldn't take it anymore.

"Okay, how did you get all this, Commander? We're holding enough credits worth of equipment to buy a whole apartment block on the Citadel, and that could cost as much as a whole frigate."

The others all nodded in agreement, save for Wrex who couldn't care less about it. They were free guns, who cared?

"I sued Rosenkov Materials," Ruby said simply, busy digging through another crate.

Stunned silence met her proclamation.

"You... _sued_ Rosenkov?" Kaidan asked, stunned.

"Yep."

"How?" Ashley demanded. "They're one of the largest armor corporations in Alliance space."

"Well, that's a bit of a long story," Ruby replied, coming up from the crate with her arms full of Kovalyov X assault rifles. She handed them out as she explained. "You see, not only am I a one of a kind person, I also have a one of a kind weapon: Crescent Rose. So when I was in the N7 program I had the very good foresight to patent the design and some of the components inside with a Citadel law firm. Cost me a lot, but it was worth it. After my... _stunt_ on Elysium, Rosenkov Materials somehow got their hands on my designs and copied it. When they tried to sell it I sued them. And won."

"So what did you win?" Ashley asked, examining her new gear.

"Hmm... about fifteen million in credits and some of their best guns."

More silence met her words.

"So you sued them... for _guns_?" Tali asked incredulously.

"And money," Ruby added quickly. "Besides, they were all to happy to give me what I wanted. They're a multi-billion credit company, what's fifteen million and a few guns to them? As an added bonus I'm still on reasonably good terms with them. But enough about my legal exploits."

She went over to another crate and cracked the lid open and started digging around inside it. "For those who missed the earlier announcement we are currently heading towards Therum in the Krossos system in the Artemis Tau Cluster. The planet is most well known for it's Prothean ruins, so it's really a no-brainer that our good Doctor T'soni would be there. Also the Geth fleet in orbit was a dead give away. Apparently Saren wants her just as much as we do. The Normandy's stealth systems are engaged so we are in the clear of all detection. We've traced the Geth to a dig site a few kilometers from our landing zone, so we'll be deploying in the Mako. Anyone who is not Alliance military better hold onto their breakfast cause it's gonna be a wild ride."

As she kept on digging deeper, Kaidan leaned over to Ashley and whispered, "Is she on the list?"

"I don't know," Ashley whispered back, sounding apprehensive. "I haven't checked it in a while."

"What list?" Tali asked, eyeing their worried expressions.

"The Mako's suspension is notorious," Ashley explained. "It's less a tank and more like a giant, armored bouncy ball with a gun."

"And that means?"

"It swerves, tips, rolls and everything in between," Kaidan said grimly. "Weak stomachs beware, hell awaits all who enter."

"And the list?"

"Top one hundred worst Mako drivers in the Alliance," Ruby said brightly, coming up from the crate with her arms full of small round red and blue disks.

"Grenades," she explained, passing out two of each color to everyone. "Red is high explosive, blue is cryo. And for the record, you two, I'm below the fifty mark."

She chuckled at their horrified expressions and continued with the briefing. "Now Therum is the planet that made the phrase 'hell on earth'... without it actually being earth. Lakes of lava as far as the eye can see. We will remain in the Mako until we get to the dig site unless it is absolutely necessary. No doubt the Geth have some tricks hidden up their sleeves, so we'll be taking things slow. No unnecessary risks, understood?"

They all nodded in affirmation. Then Ruby turned her gaze to their resident Quarian.

"Tali, while I have no doubt you're a fighter, I need to see it for myself before we go on any riskier operations. Consider this a combat assessment. Stick by my side and show me what you can do."

Tali shifted on her feet, hands grasping her new shotgun nervously. "Is that really necessary, Commander?"

"I'd rather have you stay on the ship studying the Geth scrap we bring back then have you dying down there," Ruby said bluntly. She gestured around at the other members of the squad. "Everyone here has proven themselves in my eyes, Tali. Trial by fire. What you're going through is no different. Again, I have no doubt you can fight, but you need to prove it to me before anything else happens."

Tali looked ready to argue, but Ruby stepped forward and rested a hand on her shoulder. "I've already lost one man to Saren. I don't want to loose you too."

After a minute of consideration, Tali nodded,. "Alright, Commander," she said, voice subdued.

Satisfied, Ruby disappeared in a burst of rose petals, reappearing next to her weapons locker. She punched in the password with practised ease then pulled out Crescent Rose and her own customized Razor pistol. After securing her weapons to their holsters, she led her team over to one corner of the cargo bay where the Mako was stored under a tarp.

In a single motion, Ruby grasped one edge of the tarp and tore it off the vehicle. A smile coming to her face as she saw her joyride.

It wasn't the standard M35 Mako, instead it was it's older brother M26. It was larger then it's newer counterpart and more heavily armored, though its kinetic barriers were slightly weaker. It did have a bigger eezo core and power generator however, all to keep itself from crashing when it deployed. Over all the biggest difference between the two APCs was the size, with everything else being just about equal. The thing Ruby preferred it for, however, was the increased crew capacity and the stronger turret mounting, which made room for a whole slue of modifications she had planned.

There weren't that many differences in looks between the two, save for her signature red and black paint job. The other, more major change was...

"What's up with the gun?" Ashley asked.

Indeed, the usual single barrelled turret of the APC was strangely altered. Instead, it looked like someone had taken two more barrels and welded them on in a triangular formation, making it look awkward on the sleek body of the Mako.

"That is my pride and joy," said Ruby, grinning from ear to ear as she gestured at the gun. "See, I wanted to get more power out a single shot without a longer cool down. Problem was I couldn't get it without the barrel melting... or blowing up. So then I thought, hey, why not just add more barrels?"

"And that actually works?" Garrus asked skeptically, eyeing the tri-barreled monstrosity.

"Yep. I had a bit of trouble with the power couplings and distribution to each one, so each barrel can only fire at three thirds the power. Of course they can fire independently, but I also wired them up to shoot in a three round burst. So that's more then twice the power of a normal shot per burst. The cool-down is slightly longer, but it's all worth it."

"Okay, that's impressive," Ashley said. The others all nodded in agreement.

They loaded up without further preamble. Ruby took the driver seat, assuring Ashley that there was nothing wrong with her driving as the marine took the navigators seat beside her. Garrus took the gunner station at Ruby's request, and the three strapped themselves into the seats in the main hold of the APC. Or rather, Tali and Kaidan did. Wrex tried, but gave up after it was made clear that the straps would rather snap then even attempt to hold him down.

As they all settled down, Ruby started the vehicle, filling the cargo bay with the roar of the Mako's powerful engines. As she checked the various diagnostic readouts surrounding the steering wheel, she flicked on the commlink to the ship.

"Joker, what's our ETA?"

" _Entering the atmosphere now,_ " the pilot replied. Even as he spoke, Ruby could feel the whole ship shake as it battled the forces of reentry. " _Less then a minute to the landing zone._ "

"Good. Keep me posted."

She finished the last diagnostic just as the cargo bay door lowered, letting in their first view of the planet below.

True to her word, Therum was the closest thing to hell on earth. A barren wasteland of black rock and soot, broken only by the lakes and rivers of molten lava that dotted the surface. Then a truly evil idea sprang into Ruby's mind.

"Hey Ash," she said, giving the Gunnery chief an impish grin. "I've heard of a landing zone being hot before, but this is ridiculous."

The only reply was a facepalm and a wince. "No, Commander, just... no."

"Ten _seconds to drop... and yeah, that sucked, Commander._ "

"Still better then yours, Joker," Ruby chuckled.

" _Oh, what's that? A critic? Well, then... take this!_ "

The Mako shook as special systems in the Normandy launched the vehicle out of the cargo bay and into the empty air. Then the forces of gravity took control and the Mako fell towards the planet's surface with terrifying speed.

Over the comms Joker's voice cackled, " _there can only be one Joker on this ship!_ "

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Ruby replied airily, casually flicking off the radio as if they weren't falling towards a planet at near terminal velocity.

The other occupants of the Mako were silent. Either bored of the whole experience, Wrex, or had gone through it so many times it seceded to faze them anymore. The only one who wasn't taking it well was Tali, who gripped the safety straps like a lifeline, eyes screwed shut behind her mask as she waited for the nightmare to end... and waited.

One second... two seconds... three seconds, but nothing happened. They were still in freefall.

"Shouldn't the jets have activated by now?" Ashley asked nervously as the ground rapidly approached through the window.

"Oh yeah."

Reaching out, Ruby slapped the dash of the Mako as hard as she could. Instantly the thrusters on the underside of the vehicle flared to life, slowing their decent just in time as the Mako hit the ground, its powerful suspension absorbing the worst of the impact. Still, it left the team inside shaken.

"What was that?" Ashley asked shakily, painfully aware of how close they'd come to being little more then a smoking crater on the ground.

"I thought I fixed that," Ruby grunted, giving the dash a few more slaps. Each time her hand connected the thrusters flared, making the Mako bob up and down like a floating cork.

"Fixed what?" Tali squeaked from the back.

"Well I had to get the power for the extra guns from somewhere and the boosters ate up most of it." She gave the dash one last slap, shaking the whole vehicle. "I had to mess around with some of the fuses and powers conduits. But I thought I had it all figured out before Eden Prime. Meh, I'll look at it once we get back on the ship. Maybe you can help me with that, Tali."

Without waiting for a reply she kicked the Mako into highgear. It jumped forward a few feet, stalled, then spluttered to a stop before dying. Ruby gave the dash another slap and it roared to life once again.

"I'll get it fixed, I swear," she assured them. It didn't stop them however from wondering just what the hell they'd gotten themselves into.

Again Ruby gunned the accelerator, sending the APC roaring across the desolate, fiery landscape. Much to Tali's horror, and Wrex's amusement, it was exactly as Kaidan described. Every single turn of the wheel sent it swerving all over the place... and how do you roll a _tank_ going over a _pebble_? It didn't help her that half the people in the Mako were enjoying the whole experience. The grin on Ruby's face was enough to make anyone tremble in their boots.

For what it was worth, Ruby really earned her spot on that list. The only bright side was that they were making pretty good time, following an old road set down by the first people who landed on this hellhole. Occasionally they would spot a small excavation site or small facility in the distance, but Ruby stayed firm in her orders. No unnecessary risks.

After about five minutes the winding road turned into a tunnel going down into the rock. At its entrance was a tall Geth machine. A five meter high walker standing on four legs with a Geth flash light head sticking out of the top.

The grin instantly dropped from Ruby's face. "Garrus, contact front!"

The turret was already moving, even before she finished speaking.

The Geth walker turned to face them, it's single eye glowing bright as it charged up its main weapon. But it was still too slow. The Mako's gun fired, the three barrels spitting out their deadly ordinance in less then a second.

Much to Ruby's chagrin, Garrus' aim was true.

The first slug slammed into the walker's main body. It's barriers flared, but held. An instant later the second slug hit, shattering what power was left in the barriers and slammed into it's armor. Then the third slug connected, punching through the armor and into it's power core which detonated in a fabulous display of fire and shrapnal.

The Mako ground to a halt, it's crew looking on in awe of its firepower.

Then Garrus cleared his throat. "Let this be the only time I'm glad to be wrong. Damn this thing is good."

Ruby nodded in agreement. So was she. First time the thing had ever fired and it worked like a charm... and the power draw didn't stall the Mako, so that was a plus.

Continuing on they drove through the tunnel without much resistance. There was the occasional Geth squad here and there, but they soon found themselves plastered to hood, undercarriage and wheels as the Mako ran them over. Every time it happened a cackle would fill the APC followed by a proclamation of "Roadkill!"

They encountered a few more 'Geth Armatures,' as Tali called them, but the new gun tore them apart with ease.

By now they were far away from the tunnel and were entering into more rocky terrain. The navigation systems said that the dig site wasn't far off. The second clue that they were getting closer was the increase in Geth forces. Armatures were now a common sight, bordering on boredom, and the single units posed a laughable threat to the hood. It was only once they were passing through a small valley that they got their first unwelcome surprise of the day.

A large outpost barred their way. Reinforced walls lined with turrets reached to each side of the valley with a heavy alloy gate set in the middle. A quick look at the gate screamed that it wasn't an option. Three feet thick, made out of Geth alloys and most likely braced on the other side. Even Ruby doubted that the gun would make a dent in it, and the turrets would pick them apart while they tried.

In sort, the gate was a no-go.

The weaker and hollow gatehouse beside it, however, was.

A single burst from the cannon punched clean through the building, followed in short order by the Mako, bursting through the weakened structure and emerging inside the Geth complex.

As Geth scrambled to respond to the rather unorthodox tactic, Ruby took great joy in flattening any synthetic that dared stand and fight while Garrus systematical gunned down the few that remained. Once the outside was clear, the only thing that remained was to open the gate on the other side of the complex that still blocked their way.

Though it would have been fun to bash through it as well, the structural integrity readouts in the Mako disagreed. So, after a second of consideration, Ruby grabbed Wrex and Tali and headed off to open the gate. In the close quaters of the gatehouse the Krogan proved invaluable, and not just as mobile cover as he tore apart any Geth unfortunate enough to get in his way with a flurry of shotgun blasts and biotic attacks. Tali was also surprisingly adept at combat, her tech attacks flying left and right, overheating weapons and causing general mayhem among the Geth. Though she still needed experience, as evidenced by the number of times her new armor had to save her life. But the more she saw, the more Ruby was satisfied with how the Quarian conducted herself around the battlefield.

"I think I'll keep you," she told the Quarian, clapping her on the shoulder as the last Geth fell.

They opened the gate and got back in the Mako and continuing on their journey. There wasn't that much more resistance after the outpost, a few squads and Armatures, but not much else.

Then they reached... the _spot_.

Ruby frowned, eyes narrowing as she stopped the Mako at the entrance to a small canyon, less then a kilometer from the dig site. Before them a landslide of rocks had fallen from somewhere, blocking the road. There was a small path cleared in the center of the mess that the Geth had cleared out, but it was technically impossible to take the Mako any further.

"Trap," Ashley said the moment she laid eyes on the rocks. "Defiantly a trap."

"They'll gun us down the moment we pass through," Garrus chimed in. "Most likely waiting on the other side."

"I was thinking the same thing," Ruby nodded, scratching her chin in thought. Then her face brightened with and idea. "You know what? Fuck it."

She grinned back at her crew. "The Geth think they control this situation. Newsflash: they don't. Because, unless I am very much mistaken, we are not in a game with indestructible set pieces. So Garrus, switch to high explosive rounds and get to work."

"This thing has high explosive rounds?" Garrus asked, his face lighting up in wondrous joy.

"Damn right," Ruby grinned savagely, pointed at the blockage. "Now get to work and clear us a path."

A quick burst utterly destroyed the first layer of rock, the second made a hole large enough for the Mako to pass through. And pass through they did, most likely surprising the shit out of the dozens of Geth on the other side.

They were in what looked like the research camp for the dig site, with prefab shelters and digging equipment scattered around the area. The tight quarters made it difficult to manoeuvre the APC, but Ruby managed and soon the whole camp was clear.

"They have insurance, right?" Ruby asked as she drove the Mako up a hill to the dig site. "I mean, I don't have to pay for any of the damages... right?"

"You are a Spectre," Garrus reminded her. "So technically this never happened."

"... oh yeah. But are you sure your not saying that just to spare yourself the blame?"

"What?"

"You let loose a little too much back there," Ashley said. "Those prefabs look more like Swiss cheese now."

"They were filled with Geth," Garrus protested.

"I got to go with Ash on this one, Garrus," Ruby said as they crested the hill. "You did go a little overboard back there. The big gun finally getting to you?"

"No, I just..." He stopped, staring at lay ahead. "Oh shit."

The entrance to the dig site itself was a simple tube heading deep into the ground. Around it a small space had been cleared, either for equipment or other purposes. And in the middle was a towering Geth Armature, almost three times as tall as the others.

"Colossus!" Tali screamed as it began to charge up it's siege pulse cannon.

Now let it be known that Ruby was no fool. The Mako may have been a powerful vehicle, but standing up to a Colossus in a straight on shootout was plain idiocy. The barriers had been taking a pounding all day, and not just because of the ramming. At the state they were in a single shot from the Colossus' cannon would tear through them like paper and it would take them a few bursts at least to break it's barriers and in a small open space like this with little room to manoeuvre the odds were not in their favor.

Looking at it, Ruby could see only one course of action that wouldn't blow them up instantly.

Ram the legs.

She gunned the accelerator, ignoring the screams of the others inside as they sped towards the hulking mass.

The one advantage to the small space was that it only took them a few seconds.

The Mako slammed into the Colossus' right front leg, taking out the limb as it powered through, taking out the back leg as they continued on. The Colossus let out a mechanical squawk of surprise as it tumbled to the side, struggling to right itself. Then Garrus let loose on it with the cannon, struggling to break its barriers as Ruby came around for another pass.

"Its getting back up!" Garrus shouted, letting out another burst of fire as the Colossus managed to find it's feet.

In response, Ruby rammed the front legs, again sending the Colossus to its knees. By the time it managed to right itself its barriers had been shattered, allowing Garrus to plant one final burst in its flashlight head, which disappeared in a fiery explosion.

As the body crashed to ground, the Mako ground to a halt, everyone inside panting as the rush faded.

"Well," Ruby said after a moment, "that was a thing."

"I saw my life flash before my eyes," Ashley intoned, sitting ramrod straight.

"Any regrets?"

"Getting into this deathtrap."

"Well snap out of it," Ruby grinned, slipping on her helmet and sealing it. Then she looked over her shoulder at the others in the hold. "Ready up, people! We're boots on the ground from here on out."

A loud snore echoed through the APC.

"And someone please wake up Wrex. I don't know how he fell asleep during all this."

"Must be a Krogan thing," Garrus said, going over and nudging the Krogan.

Instantly his red eyes snapped open and he glared at the Turian. Then he sighed and stretched. "Are we there yet?" he asked with a grunt.

"How the hell did you fall asleep?" Kaidan demanded, amazed, voicing everyone's thoughts.

"You've never been in a Tomkah trying to outrun an angry Thrasher Maw," Wrex grunted, readying his shotgun. "Compared the that shit this was a walk in the park."

"I take it you escaped?" Ruby asked. "You wouldn't be here otherwise."

"No. It caught us alright. Tore the wheels right off in one go."

"...So then you killed it on foot?"

A curious look passed over Wrex's face. "No. She just... ran away after that. Never seen anything like it."

"She?"

"Kalros, the mother of all Thrasher Maws. Largest Maw ever seen. Some say she's as old as the Protheans themselves." Wrex sighed. "She and Clan Urdnot share some... interesting history."

"Maybe you can tell us about it sometime," Ruby said, moving to the back of the Mako and popping open the hatch.

They all climbed out into the stifling heat of the volcanic planet and converged on the entrance to the dig site. The tube leading down closely resembled a ships airlock without the doors. It was completely black inside as Ruby peeked in, the lights having been blown out long ago. She eyed the darkness dubiously, then drew Crescent Rose in rifle form.

"Lights on, people," she said, flicking on a small flash light built into her scythe's rifle form. The others all did the same with their chosen weapons. Properly prepared, they started the long down hill decent into the planet's crust.

Just before the blackness engulfed her, the back of Ruby's neck tingled. The feeling that she was being watched prickled at her senses. She looked back through the open tube and to the rocky landscape beyond.

Nothing.

Slowly she turned back, then hesitated. She could have sworn she saw a flicker of movement on a far hill, like someone ducking out of sight.

She blinked, then disregarded it and moved on.

It got noticeably cooler the further down they went, encountering no resistance on the way down. Finally the tube levelled off and they entered into an enormous cavern set deep beneath the surface. Lights set into the ceiling shone down, lighting up the Prothean tower on the far side of the cavern, reaching all the way up from the floor to the ceiling. It's metal plating was a dull blueish grey. Blue force fields appeared at regular intervals down it's length, almost like windows.

All around it spanned metal scaffolds and catwalks, forming a maze of walkways that covered the walls of the cavern and reaching to the tube they just left, giving them a straight shoot to the structure.

They couldn't help but stop and stare it in awe. Other then the beacon on Eden Prime, this was the first real Prothean artifact most of them had ever seen, and on such a massive scale too. A true testament to the power and skill of a long dead nation.

Suddenly motion on a far catwalk caught Ruby's eye.

"Contact!" she cried, snapping up Crescent Rose and firing, taking off the head of a Geth trooper.

After that all was chaos. Geth rose up from out of nowhere all along the catwalks, pouring fire into their position. They all ducked for cover, scrambling behind metal plates that had been welded onto the railings.

As the incoming fire lessened slightly, Ruby peeked around her cover. The Geth were all spread out along the catwalks, not one was within three meters of each other.

It seemed that after their encounter with her on Eden Prime the Geth had changed their tactics. In anticipation of another wild rampage they had forgone the squads they usually formed, instead making a single file line as they slowly advanced towards their position, keeping up suppression fire the whole while. It was set up in such a way that way that the units in the back would have a clear line of fire at the ones in the front. If she tried to engage in close quarters they could hose her down easily. The narrow catwalks didn't help matters, leaving little room to manoeuvre.

But she wasn't even close to snapping... yet. And she wouldn't leave her team to go on ahead while she was still thinking straight. Bad things always happened when she left her team alone. It happened on Elysium and it happened on Agaus, she wasn't going to let it happen again.

But the Geth were fast approaching and they needed to do something.

Then a slight bend in the catwalk caught her attention, a place it doubled back on itself to go around a pillar of rock. It was the only place that the Geth were in close proximity with each other.

Perfect.

"Wrex!" she shouted, meeting the Krogan's eyes. "We need a distraction!"

The Krogan looked uncertain for a moment, then nodded. His whole body glowed with a blue haze as he summoned up his biotic power, forming an enhanced barrier around himself. Then he stood, and instantly all fire shifted to him.

"Kaidan! Singularity!" she ordered next, pointing at the double back.

Beside her, Kaidan started glowing as well, bringing forth his biotic energy to pool in his hand. Then he stood, throwing the ball of energy at the bend before ducking back down.

There was a sound like breaking glass as Wrex's barriers finally broke and he ducked back down. But the damage was already done.

The ball of energy reached the bend and detonated overhead, spawning a miniature blackhole among the Geth ranks. It yanked six off the ground, more then Ruby had hoped, and kept them there, spinning and flailing in the singularity's embrace. A biotic warp thrown by Wrex hit next and the singularity detonated as the two biotic powers collided, destroying both it and the Geth in an explosion of blue flames.

The explosion shook the catwalk, staggering the Geth. Perfect opportunity.

"Advance!" Ruby ordered.

Together they charged down the catwalk, guns blazing.

In the lead, Wrex blasted a Geth trooper apart with his shotgun before backhanding another over the railing, letting it fall to the ground far below. Taking cover behind him, Tali flung out tech attacks left and right. Many a Geth found its weapon useless as it overheated before it was taken down by a quick burst from an assault rifle, courtesy of Ashley or Kaidan. Behind them, Ruby and Garrus made a deadly pair. Even while on the move their shots always found their marks.

As they advanced, Ruby couldn't help but look around in pride, taking in what was happening.

They were a team. It was amazing that people who had only met a few days ago were capable of such cohesion on their first mission. They knew little about each other, but their strengths and weakness fit together so perfectly that they compensated for each other without even realizing it.

Weiss would have been so proud... or just jealous that...

She stopped dead as the name surfaced, distant memories slowly coming back. An action that saved her life as a shot flew through the space her head would have been in if she hadn't stopped.

She tracked the shot, locating the Geth sniper in less then a second then put a single round through its head.

By then the name was gone. Unlike most times she let it go without a fight. She was in the middle of a warzone after all.

They continued on, systematically clearing the catwalks until they reached the Prothean structure. By then the area was Geth free, leaving them to examine it more closely. Maybe Doctor T'soni was inside. They looked around but couldn't find a way in. They did however find a rickety elevator going down to another level of catwalks.

Carefully piling in, they started to descend. It was going smoothly, then the elevator let out a metallic screech before grinding to a halt.

"Well that can't be good," Ruby quipped.

Then the cable snapped, sending the elevator screaming down the last few meters where it hit the bottom with a bone jarring crash.

"Okay... that one is on me," she sighed.

After they managed to pry the elevator doors open they all pulled themselves out and onto the lowest layer of catwalk that circled right up against the Prothean structure. A single force field window was set into it, just level with the catwalk. And through it hung a single Asari, hanging suspended in mid air with her limbs spread out.

"Well that was easy," Ruby said, approaching the force field.

The Asari watched them with wide eyes, her mouth open in surprise. She remained like that for a few seconds before murmuring, "I must be dreaming."

"Couldn't be further from the truth," Ruby smiled reassuringly. "Doctor T'Soni, I presume?"

"Y-yes," she stammered. "But what you doing here? We weren't able to get off a distress beacon before the Geth attacked."

"We were already on our way here," Wrex said. "Seems like your mother wants you dead."

If it was possible, Liara's eyes widened even further, this time in shock. "W-what?"

"Wrex," Ruby groaned, facepalming. "That was a terrible way to break it to her."

"Its true."

"What does my mother have to do with all this?" Liara asked, frightened.

Ruby regarded her for a moment with a raised eyebrow. "You're out of touch with the galaxy, aren't you?"

"I admit, the extranet connection out here isn't great and I've been caught up in my studies so... yes."

"Well, long story short, Saren was convicted of treason against the Council and attacking a human colony. Your mother, Benezia, has been named his accomplice."

Liara's eyes widened in fear. "B-but I'm innocent! I haven't spoken with my mother in ten years and-"

"Hey, just calm down down, alright?" Ruby interrupted, raising a hand. "We're not accusing you of anything. We're here to get you out."

Liara opened her mouth to speak but Ruby cut her off again. "Listen, we can talk later once we get out of here. Do you know how to shut down this... Prothean barrier... thingy?"

"Its a Prothean barrier curtain," Liara replied, indignantly at the misuse of terminology. "I activated it to keep me safe from the Geth. But I must have it something wrong and it trapped me in here."

"Any idea how to turn it off?"

"Only one," Liara said, looking over at a small terminal beside her. "That terminal controls it. I'm... pretty sure this was a prison cell at one point..."

"Or an early successor to Fornax," Wrex chuckled, nudging Kaidan in the ribs. "Ain't that right 'button' boy? Just look at how she's hanging."

"...But it can only be activated from inside," Liara continued, trying to ignore the Krogan as her face flushed dark blue.

"I see," Ruby said thoughtfully. "Any idea how we get in?"

"No. But the excavation crew left some mining equipment down below, maybe you can find something there to help." Then her face grew worried. "Be careful. There's a Krogan with the Geth. They've been trying to find a way past the barrier."

"In case you haven't noticed, we have a Krogan too," Ruby grinned, pointing over her shoulder at Wrex. "And trust me, he's ten times better then any Krogan they can throw at us."

Wrex grinned and chuckled in response.

"We'll be back as soon as we can," Ruby assured her, then motioned her team further along the catwalk.

Soon they found a ramp leading down to the rocky cavern floor. The moment their feet touched the ground they were ambushed by another Geth squad. They were taken out in sort order, standing no chance against the raw skill and and advanced fire power the team brought to the table.

Once they were sure the area was secure they all started looking around for anything that could help them. There was a lot of mining equipment around, as Liara had said, including the bodies of their operators.

Ruby sighed sadly as she stared at the body of a young man dressed in dark blue overalls manning the controls of a mining laser. Poor guy didn't look older then twenty five, his dull blue eyes staring blankly into the ceiling. The Geth had gunned him down where he sat, showing him no mercy.

Though she knew she couldn't have done anything to stop it, it still hurt.

She turned away, looking back up to where Liara was trapped, wondering how to get in. Still deep in thought, she eyed the many force field covered windows that breached the surface of the structure at regular intervals. She followed them all the way up and then all the way down, idly noticing that one of the windows was still buried beneath a few meters of rock. The mining laser...

The mining laser!

Her face brightened in inspiration as her eyes went back and forth between the laser and the ground it was pointed at.

The angle was just right. They were trying to hit that one window! And since this was a mining laser it would...

Wait a minute... this was a mining _laser..._

"What the hell," she muttered, scratching her chin as she stared at it.

"Something wrong, Commander?" Ashley asked while checking out a pile of crates.

"I just had one of the weirdest realization ever," she replied, still trying to grasp the whole concept.

"Weirder then sticking three barrels on the Mako?" Garrus asked, coming over to her.

"Weirder then that." She looked them all in the eye and gestured at the machine. "This is a mining laser... LASER."

They all stared at her with deadpan looks.

"Okay, just hear me out," she said quickly. "Everyone in the galaxy is suck using mass accelerator weapons on their ships because of the limitations of Element Zero, right?"

They all nodded.

"And every single one of them is researching proper large scale laser technology to use as primary weapons because of their effectiveness against kinetic barriers and armor, right?"

More nods.

"Okay, just clearing that up," she nodded, then again gestured at the energy drill. "So how the hell do we have a fully functional mining _laser_ , perfectly capable of burning through solid rock, and no one has noticed it yet?"

Silence met her words. Garrus opened his mouth to reply, paused, then slowly shut it with a look of complete confusion on his face.

"That's a very good point," Ashley said, scratching her head.

"I know, right?" Ruby crowed, turning back to the machine. "I mean, its almost like this laser drill is here purely for the sake of getting us inside that thing and nothing else. I've never seen any laser tech like this in the Alliance, and they were the ones digging here... its weird."

They all nodded in agreement.

"So are we going to use it then?" Kaidan asked.

Ruby shrugged. "I don't see why not."

She reached over to the controls and started up the drill. A low humming slowly began to built inside the machine. Once it reached it's peak, the tip unleashed a brilliant red beam that cut through the rock of the cavern floor in a hot flash, sending up a thick cloud of dust and burning ashes before powering down.

As the dust cloud settled, the team moved in on the hole it had made. Sure enough, it had burned through a good layer of rock, revealing the open window, uncovered by a force field, leading into the structure.

Putting the strange realization aside, Ruby lead them down into the structure. The moment her foot crossed over from rock to metal plating, a strange feeling swept over her. Not that she was being watched, just... something. It sent a shiver down her spine and, strangely enough, caused her eyes to burn slightly. It wasn't painful, but more like she was cutting up onions without the tears.

She put it aside as they passed through the small cell like room and stepped onto a platform that looked like an elevator in the center of the alien structure. They all stepped on board quickly located a small terminal on the side. There was just one problem, however.

"Anyone know how to read Prothean?" Ruby asked, eyeing the glowing holograms floating in the air covered in strange symbols and lettering, but lacking the standard up and down arrows that you would assume to be universal.

The others all gave a negative. Curious, Tali reached out a hand and tapped one of the symbols. The terminal let out a squawking sound but the lift stubbornly remained stationary.

"So what now?" Kaidan asked.

"I don't know," Ruby shrugged, reaching out for another symbol. "Start pushing buttons I guess."

With that she pressed her hand against the display. Instantly a shock went up her arm and she yelped, jumping back. Her eyes burned in their sockets like hot coals, making her vision flash red and silver. Symbols flashed behind her eyes faster then she could follow.

And then it was over. The pain was gone as fast as it had appeared, leaving her swaying on her feet. As the others rushed to steady her, they felt the platform beneath them tremble, then slowly start to rise.

"Are you alright, Commander?" Ashley asked, worry seeping into her voice as Ruby shook off... whatever that was.

"Yeah," she gasped, shaking her head as the last of the afterimages faded. "But... gah! What the hell was that?"

No one had an answer.

Then the lift ground to a halt just outside the Liara's cell.

"Someone call the cavalry?" Ruby said brightly, stepping inside. The Asari jumped in surprise, looking over her shoulder at them with wide eyes.

"W-what? How did you get through the barrier so quickly?"

"Improvisation," Ruby shrugged, moving over to the terminal. "But that's not important right now. How do we get you out?"

Liara twisted her head, straining to see the buttons. "That one. The one shaped like a crescent moon."

Ruby reached out to press it, then paused. It would it shock her again? What did that even mean?

Shaking off her worries she pressed the button. There was no shock, but the field suspending Liara instantly vanished and she collapsed to the floor, weakly. Ruby was by her side in a second, checking her for injuries.

"Are you hurt?" she asked.

"No," Liara whispered. "I've just been suck in that thing for days. Please, I need a minute."

A low rumble echoed through the Prothean structure, shaking the ground. They all looked around worriedly. Then Ruby remembered the mining laser and realized with dread that she might have made a mistake. For all they knew, these ruins might not have been as stable as they originally thought.

"No time," she said, picking up Liara in a fireman carry. The Asari squeaked in surprise but she ignored it, ushering everyone back onto the elevator and sending them up to the top of the structure.

As the elevator climbed, the rumbling and shaking grew stronger. All they could do was listen, and Ruby prayed that she hadn't just doomed them all making one snap decision.

"Are you sure this is wise?" She was jolted out of her musing by Wrex as he gestured to the Asari slung over her shoulder. "Her mother works for Saren. You sure she's on our side?"

"I am not my mother," Liara replied, then moaned. "Could you please put me down. All the blood is going to my head."

Apologizing, Ruby gently set the Asari down on her feet, steadying her when she swayed.

"Thank you," Liara nodded to her in thanks, then continued in a stronger voice. "I am not my mother. I don't know why she joined Saren and I don't want anything to do with that Turian bastard!"

"And if she was with Saren why are the Geth trying to kill her?" Garrus added, tactfully.

"Thank you," Liara sighed gratefully.

Just then another tremor shook the elevator and a deep cracking sound echoed beneath them.

"That can't be good," Ashley commented, looking down, as if trying to see through the elevator floor.

"These ruins aren't entirely stable. They're built over an active underground magma chamber." Liara explained, glancing over to the elevator terminal. "And going back through the catwalks would take too long. We'd sink into it before we made it too the top. Its a good thing you found a working code-key, otherwise you would have never gotten this going."

"Uh... code-key?" Ruby asked.

"Yes. Standard Prothean decryption algorithms for accessing their technology. Nothing else works." She looked over to Ruby. "You do have a code-key, don't you?"

"No... no I don't," Ruby said slowly. "I just touched the thing, I got a shock and it just started up."

Liara's eyes widened. "What? But... how is that possible?"

"You're the expert, you tell me."

Before the Asari could reply the elevator finally reached the top, sliding into a hole in the ceiling and putting them in a large room at the top of the structure. It was large and circular, the only way out was an open arch set into the wall in front of them. Through it, Ruby could see the rocky walls of the cavern and metal catwalks. And coming towards them was...

"You got to be kidding me," Ruby groaned. A whole squad of Geth troopers backed up by a Krogan Battlemaster stalked towards them. They stopped in the middle of the arch.

A quick glance around revealed a dismal lack of cover. They were going to have to take care of these guys fast if they wanted to get out in one piece.

"Surrender," the Battlemaster snarled. "Or don't. That would be more fun."

"In case you haven't noticed, this whole place is falling apart!" Ruby shouted back, gesturing around them.

"Exhilarating, isn't it?" the Krogan grinned.

"...Okay, maybe a little, I'll give you that. But we still need to get out," Ruby admitted, slowing reaching down to something on her belt.

"Not gonna happen," The Battlemaster laughed, stepping forward confidently. "Thanks for getting rid of those energy shields for us. Now..."

Ruby flicked her wrist and the Krogan stumbled back in surprise as a red painted grenade hit him in the headplate where it stuck.

"I'm sorry, but we really don't have time for this," Ruby said, grabbing her pistol and snapping off two quick shots.

The first hit the grenade, causing it to detonate in a fiery explosion, shattering his barriers and covering the Krogan in a veil of fire. An instant later the second round cleanly entered his skull and he fell in a burned, bloody pile.

Then all was chaos.

With such a lack of cover for both sides, the strategy became throw as much fire as possible at the other side and hope it kills them before they kill you. Even advanced machines like the Geth couldn't think of a better option.

As they all raised their weapons, Liara began to glow with a haze of biotic power. Just as the Geth started firing a blue bubble of biotic energy sprang into existence around the team. The shots harmlessly bounced off, casting ripples across the biotic surface as the barrier deflected them. That restriction did not apply to whoever was shooting out of it, however.

An electrical overload jumped from Tali's omni-tool, erupting in a shower of sparks in the very center of the Geth formation, breaking their kinetic barriers. A few seconds later they were all turned to scrap metal as the team tore them apart in a flurry of gunfire.

As the last Geth fell, Liara sagged. The biotic barrier faded out of existence and she collapsed to her knees with a groan, exhausted.

As another rumble shook the structure, Ruby ran over and scoped her up then ran through the arch as the others followed close behind.

By now it was obvious that the place was doomed. Rocks were breaking loose from the ceiling, breaking catwalks and equipment as the they made the long fall to the ground below. It made them run all the faster, across the maze of metal platforms as they rushed to tube leading to surface.

Ruby hefted the Doctor over her shoulder, sprinting for all she was worth without activating her speed by accident. They were a team, and she wouldn't leave them behind in a place like this.

Not again.

They reached the tube, just as a hellish heat washed over them as lava began to fill the bottom of the cavern. Then they started the long uphill run, never stopping for breath as the heat followed them up.

It was with a feeling of relief that they finally burst out of the open end of the tube and onto the relatively cooler surface of Therum. It was still hot, but now there was no fear of dying an imminent fiery death by lava. They still had to get off the surface as it might just cave in, but now they had some time.

Ruby sighed, gently setting the Asari back on her feet. She swayed, but managed to remain standing. Motioning Kaidan over, she handed off Liara off to his care, then activated her radio.

"Normandy, this Rose. How copy?"

" _Solid copy, Commander,_ " Joker's voice echoed through her helmet. "What's going on down there? We're picking up a ton of readings, none of them good either."

"I'll explain later. We need pick, ASAP."

" _You know that when people say 'I'll explain later' they never do?_ "

Though a small smirk twisted her lips this was no time for jokes. "Joker."

" _Right, sorry. ETA minus two minutes._ "

Flicking off her radio, Ruby looked around, taking note of everything.

The wreak of the Colossus was still there, the tangled mess of scrap metal and wires that used to be its head still smoking slightly. The Mako however was gone. Most likely the Normandy had stopped by and picked it up while they were still underground.

So why hadn't they stayed and waited for them?

Shrugging, she went and joined her team, who had all sat down on a bunch of supply crates nearby, catching their breath. Kaidan had propped Liara up against the largest one and was offering her a canteen from his belt. She accepted it gratefully and took a long drink.

"Alright!" Ruby said, clapping her hands and drawing everyone's attention. "All and all I'd call that a success. We work well together. You should all be proud."

That got nods and grins all around.

"The Normandy will be here in less then two minutes," she continued. "But we should still..."

Just then a chill went down her spine, stopping the words dead on her lips. Even with the heat of Therum her skin grew cold and clammy. A feeling of dread settled upon her, so profound it made her want to curl up in a ball and cry.

The others felt it too.

Liara started to tremble, and Tali wasn't far behind. Kaidan, Ashley and Garrus, hardened soldiers as they were only blanched, eyes flicking about nervously for danger. Wrex gripped his shotgun so hard that the metal creaked, his mouth set in a thin line as his eyes flared with anger... and a small amount of fear.

"What the hell is this?" he snarled, jolting upright and scanning the area with his weapon.

"I don't know, Wrex," Ruby replied, her hands trembling slightly as she reached back and drew Crescent Rose. "I don't know."

In unspoken agreement they all stood, readying their weapons, ready for trouble.

But there was nothing. The whole area was clear of any hostiles, and nothing looked out of place. But still the feeling of dread continued, growing stronger as the seconds ticked by.

Just what the hell was causing it? Ruby's breathing speed up as years worth of N7 training kicked in, eyes jerking around fanatically trying to find the threat. Nothing had made her feel like this. Not even Colonel Attila could make her feel like this, a fear that seemed to strike deep into her very soul.

They waited in absolute terror until a truly beautifully sound broke through the silence. The low humming of the Normandy's engines as it came down on approach.

Relief rushed through them all as they eagerly began to search the sky for the craft.

As if in retaliation, the feeling of dread tripled. Then another sound made it to Ruby's ears through the comforting roar of engines.

Whispers.

Hundreds of them. All overlapping in a maddening cacophony that seemed to drowned out all else. Then the feeling that she was being watched came back, and with it came a cold, unadulterated terror.

Fighting her instincts to run, she turned and saw it.

There, walking towards them from the hills of rock was a husk like the ones from Eden Prime. But this one was much, much different. Its skin had turned pitch black, stretched tight over it's bones and covered in a crawling mass of implants that glowed with a sinister blueish tint. But its eyes... its eyes were the worst: Hollow pits that bored deep into it's skull, seeming to stretch on for infinity, a place were no light could ever hope to exist. They were so black they seemed to suck in all light, darkening the world around it. But in the depths of those black pits were two single points of blue light that burned with cold malice.

Ruby felt... small. So small she could hid in the deepest, darkest hole in the universe and never come out again as the thing stared at her. Pure terror flowed through her as its dead eyes seemed to stare right through her into the very depths of her soul.

This thing was... _wrong_. There was no other word for it. It shouldn't even exist.

Fighting back her terror, Ruby raised Crescent Rose. The urge to fight, to utterly destroy this terrible thing overriding her instinct to run. She could see the others doing the same, weapons rising to unleash their fury upon it.

Then the husk opened its mouth and screamed.

Crescent Rose dropped from nerveless fingers as the sound assaulted her ears, louder then anything she'd ever heard. It was a thousand, no, _millions_ of voices screaming in unison, grating against her senses like nails on a blackboard. They were young, old, scared, terrified, hateful, all crying for release. It did more then just assault her ears, her mind was in revolt as the voices tried to tear away at her very psyche, drowning out her thoughts in a maelstrom of hatred and fear.

She fell to her knees, eyes screwed shut and hands grasping at her ears, trying to block out the husk's scream.

She saw everything. Every fear she had ever felt was laid bare before her until she was drowning in a sea of despair. And all the while the voices continued to scream, attacking, hating... _inviting_. Drawing her towards them, tempting her to join in their revels.

Teeth bared as she fought back a scream of her own, Ruby threw her head back and stared up at the blood red sky of Therum, tears streaming down her face as she begged for anything to come and break her out of this torment.

What she saw only brought on a new spike of terror.

The Normandy was falling, tumbling out of the sky like a fallen angel from heaven, spiraling towards the ground far below.

That single terrible sight snapped her back into focus. For a single instant she could hear the screams of Joker and her crew over the radio, begging for the noise to stop. Then it was gone as the screams of the husk drowned out anything else.

But that image stuck. The Normandy falling, her crew dying, her team...

No.

That single word rang in her mind. Defiant against what she knew was going to happen. In that instant everything faded away: the screams, her team around her, even her fear and despair itself, it all faded away, replaced with what she knew she had to do.

Her hand snapped to her hip, snatching up her pistol as she unleashed a wild spray of fire at the husk, roaring out in defiance, anger and fear.

Most of her wild shots went wide, but one struck the husk in the dead center of it's chest. A strange flickering blue barrier sprang to life around it, deflecting the shot, but that was all it took.

The husk snapped it's mouth shut, silencing the hellish screams. Instantly the voices vanished and Ruby could think clearly once again. She slumped to her hands and knees, gasping. She felt weak, trembling uncontrollably.

A quick glance upward through blurred eyes saw the Normandy pitch upwards, pulling out of the fatal dive and back up into the sky.

Then a low hiss forced her eyes back down.

The husk was charging, faster then humanly possible, hissing in a thousand voices all the while.

Blind instinct snapped her pistol up, firing into its chest. The blue barrier sprang to life again, deflecting everything she fired. Just as her pistol overheated the thing tackled her around the waist, sending them both flying back cross the rocky ground.

As she tumbled, Ruby felt two deathly cold hands wrap around her throat. Suddenly her head was slammed down into the ground making her vision flash in pain as they came to an abrupt stop. She found herself lying on her back staring up into a blood red sky, the face of death gazing down upon her as the husk began to strangle the life out of her.

Then a spike of pure malice thrust itself into her mind, paralysingly her, stabbing deep into her psyche. And the voices... the voices wouldn't stop! They grasped at her every thought, twisting them against her will until she could do nothing but stare with hopelessness at the husk above her.

She was powerless. All feeling and senses in body just... faded away. She felt disconnected, a mind floating in space with no body to hold it.

Then the presence stabbed deeper, as if trying to go beyond her her mind and into her very soul. She let a strangled gasp of agony as the spike stabbed deeper, past her memories, past her feelings and to her very core. With every push she could feel herself slipping, her very will draining away into the soulless black pits that hung above her.

Deeper... deeper... deeper...

Suddenly a spark seemed to ignite inside her, coming from the deepest parts of her being. Her darkening vision flashed with a reddish tint and suddenly... she wasn't afraid.

A scream of rage echoed through her mind as the spike tried to stab deeper... but something kept it at bay, stopping it in its tracks. A fire, an invisible shield that seemed to burn from her soul, flaring brighter then the sun, forming a line that the attack could not cross.

In it she found strength to push back.

With a great heave of effort the fire was unleashed, burning through her essence, driving out the fell influence. Another scream echoed above her, the tendrils of voices clawing desperately at her mind to gain entrance once again. Try though they might, they couldn't breach the fiery armor that now protected her.

With it gone, Ruby was finally able to come back to full awareness. She tried to suck in a breath, but the husk still had its hands around her. Then she was finally made aware of just how desperate for air she really was.

Her vision was going dark around the edges as she fanatically tried to breath. Desperate, she seized the husk's wrists and began to pry its fingers off her throat.

Sensing her resistance, the husk squeezed tighter. The voices clawing at her mind redoubled their efforts, hammering against her strange mental barrier again and again.

Struggle though she did, she couldn't fight on both fronts. Her physical strength was fading as the last breath of air escaped her lungs. Her mental shield was flickering as she fought to stay conscious. The black eyes above her seemed to grow in size, covering her in the dark embrace of death.

She was fading... falling into those black pits... falling... falling...

But the on the very edge of her dulled hearing a roar shook the air. Then a red blur slammed into the husk, tearing its hands off her as the two forms tumbled to the side. Instantly air rushed back into her lungs as she gasped, her senses snapping back into full alertness. The voices were gone from her mind, letting her think clearly again.

And all she could think of was killing that _thing_.

She rolled onto her her and knees, gasping for air and shaking off the dizziness that came and saw Crescent Rose on the ground nearby where she had dropped it. She reached out a hand for it, then paused, staring at her armored gantlet.

A glowing, reddish light covered her hand, wrapping around her fingers and arm like a glove. Even as she watched, it flickered, then faded out of existence.

Pushing the strange sight out of her mind in favor of the current situation she again reached for Crescent Rose, picked it up and whirled around.

As it turned out it was Wrex who had saved her, and now tumbled around with the husk on the ground, exchanging punches, kicks and headbutts. It brought to light just how strong this husk really was as it punched Wrex across the jaw in a frenzied swipe. The blow knocked the Krogan's head to the side, spit, blood and even a tooth flying his mouth. Whereas every blow Wrex sent its way was simply absorbed by it's barrier.

It was painful to watch just how out matched the Krogan was against this thing.

Then the husk let loose a particularly vicious swipe, knocking Wrex off to the side. Then it stood, and as Wrex got back up with a roar it grabbed him by the throat and lifted him bodily off the ground, holding him in the air with ease.

Then Ruby aimed and fired.

Crescent Rose let out a thundering boom as the shot blazed through the air. It struck the husk in the dead center of it's chest and the monster staggered back, dropping Wrex as its barriers flickered under the barrage.

It snarled, gazing at Ruby hatefully.

She fired again, the shot slamming into its flickering barriers. As it stumbled she fired again, driving it back even further. The HVSS let out a frantic beeping, indicating overheating. With instinctive ease she reached forward and racked the bolt on the side, ejecting the spent thermal clips as the rifle automatically loaded up new ones.

She resumed firing, her whole focus bent on killing this abomination in front of her.

Shot after shot rang out, sending the husk staggering, unable to get a firm foothold under the barrage.

Then after shot number seven its barriers finally gave out, breaking with a sound like shattering glass as ethereal blue light flickered all over its body. It opened up its mouth and screamed in pain, the sound sending a fresh surge of terror through her soul.

Gritting her teeth, Ruby fired one last time, sending the shot into its chest and through its black heart, erupting out its back with a spray of black gore.

The husk froze, its whole body rigid. Then the twin points of light in its soulless eyes faded into nothingness and the body collapsed to the ground, finally dead.

Ruby felt her legs go weak and she fell to her knees. Slowly, the raw terror inspired by its presence started to fade, replaced by numb relief as she stared at the corpse.

Dead... finally, _mercifully_ , dead.

"Good riddance," she spat, slowly pushing herself off the ground.

She got to her feet, swaying slightly as her legs trembled, then took a deep breath and steadied herself. Once she was stable, she looked back for her team.

Wrex was still on the ground where the husk had dropped him, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. A few meters away Ashley was helping Kaidan to his feet. Their faces were bone white and their moments unsteady. Though they hid their feelings well, Ruby could see the raw fear burned into their eyes. Garrus was already standing, staring up into the sky with a deadened expression, his face far too pale to be healthy. Liara and Tali were still on the ground, curled in on themselves and trembling uncontrollably. Ruby was half tempted to join them, but she had a duty to stay strong... for them.

"Wrex," she gasped, stumbling over to the fallen Krogan. "Wrex, you okay?"

As she stopped beside the Battlemaster, she couldn't help but stare.

In the brief time since she'd known him he'd been a fearless badass. Through she hadn't gotten a chance to talk to him properly before the mission, he had seemed like a rock solid warrior who had been through more fight and battles then she would have in her entire life. It all showed in his face. The chiseled expression, hiding all but the extremes of emotion and red eyes that never blinked in the face of danger.

Nothing of that was left.

His face was almost chalk white, in stark contrast to his red headplate. His eyes stared up blankly into the sky, devoid of any of that fearless warrior Ruby had known. He looked as scared as the rest of them, something she'd never thought a Krogan was capable of.

Then his eyes twitched and spotted her, locking on her like a heat seeking missile.

"Commander," he whispered. "I... I'm still here... aren't I?"

The pleading in his voice took her by surprise. Giving him a weak smile she reached down and gripped his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"You're still here, Wrex," Ruby assured him, gripping tighter.

"I could feel it," he continued, for the first time true fear seeping into his voice. "It... it was pulling me away... I could feel it."

"Its dead now," Ruby said. "We did it, and... thank you for saving me."

"I just wanted it to stop," Wrex moaned. "The voices... dammit. That... _thing_ , it isn't natural."

"I couldn't agree more," Ruby nodded, letting go of his hand and standing. "But we need to get off this rock. You good to good?"

The Krogan nodded, then rolled over and got to his feet. Clapping him comfortingly on the shoulder, Ruby moved to the rest of her team, holstering Crescent Rose and stooping to pick up her pistol. After making sure the others who were standing were alright she gently coaxed Tali and Liara to stand.

As she helped them up, the Normandy flew down from the sky. It came to rest, hovering above the ground as the ramp to the cargo bay opened. They all staggered up it, the cool interior of the vessel a welcome relief compared to the heat of Therum.

"Mad-bay, now," Ruby ordered, leading them to the elevator. They all piled in and started the long wait as it climbed. Again Ruby cursed the speed of the damned thing. For once in its pitiful existence could it go a _little_ bit faster?

After a few minutes the door slid open and they walked out and towards the med-bay.

As they went, Ruby noticed something eerie. She could hear the Drive Core of the ship humming away. Usually it was so quiet you could only hear it when you were sealed in a sleeper pod, and even then barely. But now, the ship was completely silent. There should be crew chatting away at their stations or making some sort of noise to cover up the Drive Core.

The mess hall was abandoned as they stepped in. Not unusual, as the Normandy ran all hands on deck when in a combat situation. But still no noise other then the Drive Core.

The med-bay was empty when they walked in. Ruby looked around for Doctor Chakwas as she helped Liara onto one of the bio-beds. She was probably in the CIC then.

"I'll get Chakwas," she said, going back out through the door.

As she walked back though the mess hall, she noticed another odd about the ship. It wasn't moving. Joker should had taken off by now. But hadn't felt the ship move an inch since they got on board.

She headed up the ramp to the Combat Information Center, stopping just in the doorway.

All the crew was there, sitting or standing at their station and all of them looked sick. Pale and faces frozen in slowly fading terror, the more closely resembled corpses then seasoned operators. Pressly was leaning over the railing surrounding the galaxy map, hands gripping the metal so hard she swore she could see it warping. He hardly looked like the strong willed Navigator she had talked to only hours ago, reduced to a quivering mess. Beside him was a young servicemen, curled up in a ball on the ground and rocking back and forth as she whimpered into her knees.

All were brought down by the husk's fell screams, and that had been from a few kilometers away.

It both amazed and terrified Ruby at how far it could reach.

She spotted Doctor Chakwas up near the pilot's seat and headed over, passing a dozen crewmen, slumped over their consoles.

A quick glance through the windows at the front of the ship confirmed that the ship hadn't moved.

When she was close enough she gently tapped the Doctor on the arm. She jumped, whirling around and staring at Ruby in fear. When she saw who it was she relaxed slightly.

"R-Ruby," she stammered breathlessly. "What... what was that?"

"I don't know, Karin," Ruby sighed, shaking her head. "But right now we need you down in the med-bay. Liara... sorry, Doctor T'soni wasn't looking so good."

Despite herself a bitter chuckle burst from her throat. "Hell, none of us are."

Nodding shakily, Chakwas started down to the Med-bay. With that taken care of, Ruby turned back to the cockpit where Joker sat in his seat, staring blankly at the blinking lights of the controls. When she tapped him he jumped, letting out a girlish scream as his head twisted sharply to see who it was.

She would have found his noise funny, if not for the fact that his face was twisted in terror and they were currently sitting ducks in enemy territory.

"Joker," she said, putting as much sternness into the words as she could without sound cruel. "We need to move, now. Turn on the stealth systems and get us out of here."

He blinked at her, gasping as the shock faded. Then he nodded and turned back to his controls. Finally she felt the ship come to life beneath her, flying up into the blood red sky. Soon the red gave way to black as they broke through the atmosphere and into outer space heading towards the mass Relay.

Only then did Ruby let herself relax, staggering over to the copilot seat and collapsing into it, finally bereft of strength.

She felt weak, like she had just ran the whole N7 course in under an hour. But more then that, she felt...scared. She couldn't explain it. The terror of that thing... it went far beyond any rational fear she had ever felt. And what it had done... it had attacked her very mind and had tried to go even deeper. How was that even possible?

"Commander?" Joker's quiet voice shook her out of her thoughts. "The Council is on the line. They want to hear your mission report."

Ruby sighed, casting a tired look back to the CIC. Barely anyone had moved, still reeling from the effects of the... Screamer.

They couldn't do this anymore.

"Tell them we're coming back to the Citadel," she replied quietly, turning back to the pilot. "We're in no shape to go on like this."

Joker nodded, then began plotting the course.

As they started the long trip, Ruby watched the stars as they flew by the cockpit windows. Once they had been a sight of beauty... now all they could remind her of were those eyes of malice that had scorched her with their burning gaze.

Exhausted, both physically and mentally, she shut her eyes, desperate to escape the strains of wakefulness but unwilling to fall asleep less she again hear the screams in her nightmares.

* * *

 **Updated: March 7, 2017**


	12. Plotting and Recovery

Sovereign was furious.

Did the incompetence of mortals know no bounds? All he had asked was for them to bring him the Asari known as Doctor T'soni. Just one simple task, and they failed. Now the Asari was in the hands of the accursed Silver Eyes and another asset was gone. And to top it off he had just lost one of his Avatars against her.

A low rumble echoed his frame, causing the Geth scattered throughout his shell to pause in worry. They feared him, as well they should.

His only recourse was the fact that Saren was in an even worse state then before.

Whenever a Reaper indoctrinated an individual it formed a connection of sorts between them, a bond between master and slave. At great distances it wasn't much, merely providing whether or not the slave was still alive. But up close, or in Saren's case, _inside_ the Reaper, the effect was much more pronounced. Sovereign's anger overflowed into him, turning the Turian into a mad ball of rage, destroying everything he could get his hands on.

It was highly amusing to watch. Finally the Turian was acting as he should, like a mere animal at the feet of a god.

Sovereign watched with amusement as the Turian tore apart his throne room, destroying terminals, random objects and even the occasional Geth that wandered into his sights.

Eventually the spectacle managed to quell his anger enough to allow the Turian to slip from his rampage and continue some semblance of normality. It also took away the distraction and let Sovereign think clearly about his predicament.

It was clear that the loss of the Avatar was a greater then loosing the Asari, and that had been his own fault.

He didn't want to admit it, but he had underestimated the Commander. Even without most of her powers she was still a formidable foe with a strong will. If he had been there personally she would have been dead ten times over. But he hadn't been there, and it had cost him dearly.

That was the one main disadvantage with Avatars. A Reaper could create the perfect body that they wanted, implant a piece of their soul into it, but without direct intervention the Avatar was little more then a wild beast.

It was all about how a Reaper's soul operated. When putting it into technical terms the Reaper's soul was a like a net, feeding off the combine aura trapped inside it. The souls themselves were all indoctrinated to its will, acting as a power source for the Reaper itself.

With Avatars, a Reaper separated an amount of aura from its stockpile and deposited it inside a body of its choosing. This was a necessity as no other power source could sustain a Reaper's soul for long without running out of power. If that happened, and if it was far enough away from it's main shell, the Reaper would die. There was no fear of the aura running out of power because they always regenerated their energy when inside a body. To this day the Reapers still didn't know why, but they never questioned the renewable energy they provided.

That was what an Avatar was; an extension of a Reaper. They could switch their conscience between it and their main shell as easily as flicking a switch, provided they within a close enough range. It was also possible for the Reaper to remotely operate the Avatar without actively switching itself over and use both bodies at the same time, but that was only at very close ranges. Without a Reaper guiding them, an Avatar as little more then a regular husk, though it was far faster and stronger then any mortal and the souls themselves had a minor indoctrination ability themselves, able to draw in others through direct contact. The Avatar on Therum had been lightyears away, but he had been confident enough that it could destroy the Commander without his guidance.

Oh how wrong he had been.

Now the Avatar had been destroyed and with it all the aura he had stored inside. Even with the shielding abilities of aura, an advantage he'd been counting on, it had still failed to kill her.

Now that he thought about it, that too had been a mistake. Aura could generate a shield around a body, yes, but only to a certain degree. It all depended on the strength and will that a person had. A few Silver Eyed Warriors they had encountered in the past had auras strong enough to survive an orbital barrage and still have the strength to fight an entire army. If that was the case then the planet was simply destroyed, taking the Warrior and any chance of it surviving with it.

That was the one disadvantage with the aura of indoctrinated souls; it was practically non-existent. All will and strength the soul would have once had was stripped by the Reaper who used it. So for an Avatar to have any trance of an aura it would have to have souls in the tens of thousands. Sovereign had put a few million into his, and now it was all gone, destroyed when the Avatar had been killed.

There was nothing he could do now expect learn from his mistakes. He couldn't just make new Avatars all the time, they cost a lot of his lifeforce to make and there was always the possibility that the Commander would somehow kill them as well, meaning more aura lost.

He could of course take in more aura by consuming a few colonies, but that would take time. Subjugating souls took a long time, and the numbers simply weren't in his favor. At best, a colony he could easily attack would have a population less than ten thousand. He would need millions to make any noticeable change in his aura levels, and colonies with those numbers were too heavily defended. The cost out weighed the gain.

He also didn't want the Geth to know what he was about, otherwise they'd be begging him to give them souls of their own and that was simply absurd.

So no new Avatars for a while and no recuperated his aura levels. He could work with that.

Now, onto his next problem: the Asari doctor.

He had needed her for her knowledge on the Protheans. The beacon on Eden Prime had the location of the Conduit, but the Prothean had encoded it a very devious way: You had to think like them.

It was complicated, but the visions given by the beacon were actually a series of warnings and coordinates given in the style of Prothean brain signals. To them the message would make perfect sense, but for any other species it would be nothing more then a bad dream, if they survived. It was also a safeguard against synthetics like the Reapers who couldn't even see the message without a working brain. That was why he needed Saren, so he could understand the message through the Turian.

For members of another species to understand it they would need a Cipher, to understand the Prothean way of thinking. Sovereign had hoped the Protheans would already have one ready for other species to use, then it would only be a simple matter of finding it. Maybe the Asari had encountered something like it in the past and he could use it.

Now that plan was done as the doctor slipped from his grasp.

He needed the Cipher. His only consolation was that the Commander needed it too. She could only stop him if she knew where he was going.

But the doctor hadn't been his only option for the Cipher. Saren, under Sovereign's control, had his hands in a lot of corporate affairs. They were all assets that he thought could prove useful later one.

And one just payed off.

The ExoGeni Corporation based on the planet Feros was currently studying a live Thorian, an ancient librarian of a past cycle. The sentient plants prided themselves on the knowledge their species gathered over the eons. They had escaped the notice of the Reapers for a few cycles because they had not been a convectional lifeform. Still, when they had been found they and their planet had been purged just like the rest.

But one of them must have survived, and if anyone had a working Cipher, it would.

With new purpose, Sovereign ordered his Geth fleets to converge on the planet of Feros. He would get what he needed by any means necessary. And this time he wouldn't leave anything to leave behind for the Commander to follow.

He wouldn't make the same mistake like back on Eden Prime. This time the colony would burn.

-Linebreak-

Ruby blinked, the movement slow and heavy. The dark bags under her eyes giving testament to the lack of sleep she'd gotten.

She doubted anyone on the Normandy had gotten a single lick of sleep. No one was willing to shut their eyes and hear those screams again, even if they were only nightmares. In a way that would make it even worse. You could run from a monster, but you couldn't run from your dreams.

She massaged her eyes, again blinking away her tiredness as she stared at the datapad on her desk. Another quick examination confirmed that she hadn't misread the report.

"You're sure of this?" she asked, looking up at Chakwas who stood beside her. The Doctor's face was still ashen and the dark bags under her eyes seemed even larger then hers.

Chakwas nodded. "I... I didn't believe it myself, but yes."

The silence left in the wake of her admission stretched on for a full minute. Then Ruby sighed, mentally adding another thing to her to-do list.

"How's Liara?"

"Physically she's fine," Karin said. "A few days of rest and she'll be back on her feet... but, with everything that's happened I... I don't know."

Yeah... everything.

"Thanks, Karin." Ruby said, throwing the Doctor the largest smile she could muster. As it was all she could come up with was a tiny upward twitch of her lips. Chakwas tried to replicate the gesture, but she couldn't do much better. In the end she merely nodded and left the room.

Finally alone once again, Ruby let her composure slip. The strength she'd been maintaining for the past day finally gave out and she slumped in her chair. In the silence of her XO quarters could she finally relax... or at the very least, give out without anyone seeing her.

It had been an exhausting few days.

Since they had left Therum it had been nothing but work. The Screamer, as they had taken to calling it, had left its mark on everyone. In the first few hours after they'd left the planet Ruby had made it her personal duty to go around and talk to everyone and get them back on her feet. No matter who she spoke to, whether on the ship or on the ground they had been they all told the same story of what they experienced.

Fear.

Irrational, mind bending terror. And she'd be lying if she said she didn't feel the same.

Whatever that thing was... there was something wrong with it, and it all came back to the fear itself. There was the fear of death, and countless others that could leave a grown man in a quivering mess... but nothing like this. The fear that the Screamer inspired seem to go far deeper then that. The fear of death would be preferable. You could fight that fear, fight with all your might and break free. This fear paralysed you, striking deeper into the mind then anything else, a fear so primal that not even the normally fearless Krogan could resist.

And the voices... millions of them, screaming in unison in a terrible choir. She had never heard a more terrifying sound. What made it even worse was that they had no consistency, a recognizable pattern, something to ground it in reality to rationalize it. Instead they wandered, twisting and morphing into each other. It was impossible to single out one voice, for the moment you did it would spilt into two more or merge into another. It was a maddening task that would surely have driven her to insanity if she was forced to listen to it for days on end.

And then they had attacked her, the voices themselves clawing at her mind like rabid dogs.

It wasn't the first time something had touched her mind like that, only it was far more gentle at the hands of an Asari.

Asari reproduction had always been a... weird topic for her. As they were the only mono-gendered species in the galaxy, had female reproductive organs and generally looked like blue alien woman, how they managed to make babies was something that had puzzled her: A mind meld.

An Asari could mind meld with someone of any different species or gender and map their genetics by altering their very nervous system to match that of their partner. Using that, the Asari would, somehow, make the baby.

During her early days on the Citadel while having her powers investigated, the Asari had wanted to use a mind meld to see if her abilities might have anything to do with her mental faculties. At first the idea had alarmed her, thoughts of unplanned parenthood rushing through her mind, much to the amusement of the older Asari present.

When asked the difference, they graciously explained the difference between a common meld and a mating meld, or as they called it, a 'joining.'

The common meld was merely superficial. A quick joining of the minds to exchange thoughts, feelings and emotions. A joining went much deeper. More then a mere sharing of thoughts, a joining was the total sharing of ones self, where the two would cease to be separate and become one. As one of the older Matriarchs had said; "It is not so much physical, but spiritual. In a joining, your very soul becomes one with your partner."

Even with that, Ruby was still hesitant about the meld, saying she wasn't ready for little blue children. Her fears were eased however when they said a joining could only take place if both partners wanted it. In short, she was her own condom.

They had gone through the meld, no children were made and no progress was made on discovering the source of her powers.

That experience and description stayed with her. While in the meld with the Asari she could feel something deeper, past the veil of her thoughts. Looking back at what the Matriarch had said, she had to wonder if that the Asari's soul she'd felt?

But while the Asari mind meld was a gentle brushing of the minds, the Screamer had torn at her, its many voices tearing away at her mind and sanity. And then it had tried to go deeper, as if trying to attack her very soul.

And then something had stopped it.

That was the other mystery that plagued her. The Screamer's attack and her strange retaliation.

She didn't know how to properly describe it. It was like a fire had burned through her, cleansing her mind of the voices and then protecting her as they tried to break back in. She suspected it also had something to do with the red glow she'd seen around her hand.

Of course, any doctor would have passed off what she'd seen as hallucinations caused by battlefield stress... except for one critical detail.

All armor used in the Alliance had medical sensors installed within them. It wasn't full spectrum, but it did give a general overview, such as heart-rate, breathing and large anomalies in the body. These were used so that medics, squad leaders and even Alliance ships in orbit could check up on a soldier's status at any given moment.

And during her fight with the Screamer her sensors had detected some... strange readings with her body. When she had been grappling with the husk, her sensors had detected a slow decline of her bio-readings as it strangled the life out of her.

Then something happened. A strange energy signature began to flare up all over her body. The sensors didn't know what to make of it and had sent warnings of 'lethal radiation exposure' through the system. But it was only due to the effects of the Screamer that they hadn't noticed it until now.

Doctor Chakwas had gone through the readings meticulously, both out of worry and to keep herself from brooding. What she had found was interesting. The energy seemed to be coming from thousands of points all across her body. Small pinpricks of lights on the sensors with power levels that almost rivalled that of a small intercept vessel. Then they just flared out, disappearing back into her body.

She blinked again, forcing her eyes open as she stared at the datapad again. On its surface was a scan of her body, showing the places where they energy had flared. Thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of tiny suns were spread out all across her back, arms, legs, head and one large one right on her heart. They were so small yet held so much power she could hardly believe it. Shorty after they left Therum Chakwas had asked to take a medical scan to see if she could find what had caused it, but even she couldn't find a single trace of anything.

But it had been there... and it had saved her.

She desperately wanted to know what it was, if only for the sake of further use. The Screamer had been tearing her apart from the inside, but when it appeared... all the pain, all the fear caused by the mere contact of the monster had been wiped away. And it had felt so... right, somehow. Now that it was gone she felt vulnerable, open to attack by that otherworldly force.

She had tried to find it again, focusing as deep into herself as she could. She had even tried a few meditations she'd learned in N7 school to help deal with stress. Nothing had worked, and she was just as in the dark as everyone else about it.

But when it came down to those two issues the effects of the Screamer took priority, and for good reason.

The Normandy was crippled. Moral was at rock bottom. Her crew was barely functional, mere shells of the people who once maned the vessel. Her pilot, doctor, crew and even the ground team, all of them were afraid. No one was getting over what the Screamer had put them through, not even her.

To go on with the mission like this was tantamount to suicide. Which was why they were making straight for the Citadel.

They all needed help, or advice at the very least.

When the Council had heard of her decision they asked why. She had written up a brief mission report and sent it, along with an audio recording of the Screamer taken from her omni-tool.

She hadn't gotten a reply.

By now they were less then a day away from the station, and they needed a plan. Thankfully she had one figured out.

Leaning back in her chair, Ruby pulled up her omni-tool and looked through her contacts for a number she'd been given a while ago. Finding it, she quickly tapped it in and waited for the call to connect.

A few agonizing seconds passed in silence before it connected and the voice of an Asari filled the room.

" _Hello, Consort's Chambers. How may I help you?_ "

"Hey, Nelyna, its me," Ruby said, hoping the Asari would recognize her. Despite trying, her voice still sounded as dead as a Salarian on Tunhanka.

" _Who... Oh, Ruby!_ " came the excited reply. " _Nice to hear from you again. Listen, I can't talk during work hours. Maybe sometime tonight?_ "

"Is the Consort in tomorrow?" she asked, ignoring all pleasantries.

" _Umm, yes, she always is. But why..._ "

"I need an appointment."

" _Oh... well, I can schedule you in sometime next month..._ "

"No, I need it tomorrow."

There was a pause, the Nalyna sighed. " _Ruby, please. I can't just push back hundreds of people who have waited for months or even years for their appointments. I'm sorry, but I can't do that, even for you._ "

"Then you'll do it for a Spectre," Ruby retorted, a slight edge creeping into her voice as she checked the time. "I'll be there around 0800 hours, local earth time. Get me that appointment."

This time the silence was much longer.

" _Ruby, what's wrong?_ " Nalyna asked, worried. " _You've never been like this before. Did something happen? Did you sn..._ "

"No," she replied quickly, massaging her temples. "Just... just get me that appointment please. I... _we_ need help."

" _What happened?_ "

This time it was Ruby's turn to pause, wondering how best to describe that monster.

"We... we encountered something... something terrible."

When nothing came back over the line she continued.

"We're coming whether you book us or not. Tell the Consort we'll be there at 0800 hours."

" _But..._ "

Ruby ended the call with a flick of her wrist, once again fighting to stave off the growing presence of sleep and her waking nightmares.

-Linebreak-

The calm of the Presidium never ceased to relax Shi'ira, or as most others knew her as; the Consort.

Relaxation was a very important factor in her job. So many people came to her for guidance that such a state of mind was imperative. She found it hypocritical if she advised someone on a stressful topic and tried to help them find the best solution when she herself was under the exact same circumstances. It would be like two blind men trying to find their way out of an open cell. They might find the way out, but what was gained stumbling around in the dark?

No. She needed to be the one with sight, able to guide the blind out with careful instruction so they didn't hurt themselves. And how could she do that for the hundreds that came to hear her wisdom if she was troubled by the stresses that came with life.

It was not to say that she cast aside her life for the betterment of others, but rather suppressed it for the day.

Her daily walk through the Presidium to her Chambers was the key.

The peaceful atmosphere, the calming lake, the trees and even the people going about their daily lives eased her. Peace and tranquillity was abundant here and she never stopped revelling in it.

Slow, measured steps carried her across one of the bridges that spanned the lake in the middle of the Presidium. It was the same route she always took. The same feeling of tranquillity that flowed around her, easing her worries and allowing her to once again don the mantle of Consort.

She had a busy day ahead of her. The morning was filled with a number of small appointments. But the afternoon was filled by a surprise booking from Councillor Tevos. It had sprung up suddenly last night. The Councillor had called her personally, requesting her assistance on a matter she could disclose over a public channel. Spectre business, most likely.

This was far from uncommon. Many times the Councillor had called upon her for wisdom. Not that she doubted herself, but that everyone needed a wise second opinion every now and then.

So yes, it was going to be a long day. Tevos would likely take all day, and Shi'ira hated pushing more appointments back. But sadly, sacrifices must be made.

She was drawing near her chambers when she became aware of a disturbance just outside. A large crowd had gathered, yelling and shouting at Nalyna who stood in front of the door, keeping them all out. Shi'ira recognized them as everyone who had booked appointments that morning, either with her or one of her acolytes.

What was going on?

Her peace of mind shattered, Shi'ira gently eased her way through the crowd, drawing many sighs of relief and pleas to correct this error.

"Nalyna, what is going on?" she asked once she had broken free of the crowd and went up to her receptionist.

"I'm sorry, Consort," the Asari said, gesturing back to the door. "I tried to stop them but they just pushed right in."

"Who?"

When Nalyna hesitated, Shi'ira gently brushed by her and through the door, cutting off the sound of protest from outside. She glided through the reception area and into the main chamber before stopping at the strange sight in front of her.

The tables and chairs were all filled by a collection of humans wearing Alliance Navy uniforms, though after a quick glance she could see a Turian, Krogan, Quarian and Asari among them. Their eyes were down cast and their posture slouched, as though they hadn't slept for days. Her acolytes moved in between them, placing down small cups of steaming tea for everyone. They probably had no idea of what else to do.

When she stepped into their midst their heads twisted sharply to gaze at her. Shi'ira couldn't help but gasp, covering her mouth in shock.

Their faces were almost bone white, even for the Turian and Krogan. Large, black bags hung under their eyes, as if gloating about how little sleep they'd all gotten, if any. But their eyes... their eyes spoke volumes about their true feelings.

Fear. Fear that had been left to simmer in the mind, poisoning their thoughts like a cancerous growth.

"Consort."

Shi'ira jumped slightly as a voice spoke over the grim silence. She instantly found the speaker. The black and red hair, silver eyes and other features of Commander Rose were unmistakeable, though darkened by a profound lack of sleep.

She remembered the Commander as being a bright woman. All that cheer was gone now. She looked like she had just walked out of another Agaus incident. And Shi'ira would know, she had been one of the people to help the Commander recover from that massacre.

"Commander Rose," Shi'ira replied tactfully. Now that her shock was beginning to wear off she felt a growing irritation about having her tightly scheduled day interrupted. "I was not expecting you."

"I know," Rose nodded, sighing deeply. "But we need your help."

Now it was her turn to sigh. "Commander, you understand that I work with single patients with singular problems? I don't work with so many people with-"

"Again, I know," Rose cut her off. "But we all have the same problem and we need help getting over it. Please, you're the only one I know who can help with this sort of thing."

"So you used your Spectre status to come see me?" Shi'ira guessed with a raised eyeridge.

She had expected mild embarrassment, or some kind of reaction to the accusation of power abuse. But the Commander's face remained unchanged; tired, scared... desperate.

It was the same look that haunted them all.

"Consort, please," Rose pleaded. "Your the only one I know who can help us."

A deep sigh escaped her, and Shi'ira's shoulder's slumped.

She couldn't find it in herself to turn them away. When she had first accepted this occupation she had had made it her life's work to help whoever came to her with their problems. Even though they were interrupting her carefully scheduled day, there was something nagging her at the back of her mind, overriding her irritation. This was something big... bigger then she had first thought.

And she knew the Commander. She wouldn't have done this for something trivial, and to bring her whole crew no less.

"Very well," Shi'ira said, moving to stand at the far end of the chamber where all could see her without being blocked and dismissed all her acolytes with a wave. "What troubles you all?"

As if a switch had been flicked the mood of those gathered darkened even further. Pale faces turned sickly and many started trembling as they were forced to recall the source of their discomfort.

Shi'ira had never seen such a reaction before, especially from a Krogan. This was no normal fear, of that she was sure.

Then Rose swallowed and started speaking in a hoarse voice. "We... we encountered something on Therum."

"I see," Shi'ira nodding, making a few mental notes as she looked around at the others. "And this involved your whole ship's crew?"

"Yes."

"Even the ones in orbit?"

"We weren't in orbit," a bearded man with a long brimmed hat interjected quietly. "We were a few kicks from the pick up zone."

"You are the pilot?"

The man nodded, eyes downcast.

"How could something on the ground reach you then?"

"We don't know," a woman beside him whispered. "But we could hear it... oh god, we could hear it." Then she curled in on herself, trembling.

Shi'ira watched her reaction, troubled. Such fear, and from so far away, and inside a ship no less.

Then she turned her gaze to Rose, dreading her next question. Not for the answer, but for the pain she knew it would cause them.

"Commander, what was this thing. Describe it please."

So many conflicting emotions flashed across the Commander's face that she had trouble catching them all: Fear, anger, disgust, all were present. It took her along minute to bring her emotions under control enough to speak. "It... it was a husk. Or... I think so, at least."

Shi'ira nodded, a picture slowly forming in her mind.

She had heard of the husks before from Councillor Tevos. A most effective terror tactic if she dared say so herself. To see the dead friends you used to know running at you, ready to tear you to shreds would strike fear into anyone. Fortunately, after careful study, they had determined that it was merely the effect of highly advanced Geth technology and not caused by otherworldly forces.

She considered that fact a lifesaver. With it you could ground the husk in reality and work your way out from there. After all, people most often fear what they don't understand. By saying the husk was a cause of technology and backing it up with proof you levelled the playing field. Now, instead of conquering a fear of the 'demons of hell' you merely had to overcome the haunting sight of a walking corpse brought to life through the power of technology.

But she suspected the Commander already knew this, and it deepened the whole mystery.

"Was there anything different about it?" Shi'ira gently pressed.

Rose nodded. "It looked the same as the rest, but it's skin... well, what was left, was black. Like, pitch black... blacker then space."

A slight tremor went down her spine before she spoke again in a voice barely louder then a whisper. "Then it screamed."

A collective shudder went through the assembled group. Shi'ira watched the reaction in morbid fascination.

"And this... scream," she said, comfortingly. "Describe it."

The Commander swallowed once, then twice, then said. "It... it was like nothing I ever heard... thousands of voices mixed into one... all screaming in rage... hate... despair. They were all there, and yet... they were one... somehow."

"One?"

She groaned screwing her eyes shut and shaking her head. "I don't know. You could hear every single one, but... but... ah, fuck it. I don't know."

"It was like bloodrage," the Krogon spoke up quietly, drawing everyone's attention.

"How so?" Shi'ira asked.

The Krogan grimaced. "You loose yourself in a bloodrage, give yourself up completely to your instincts. You just stop being you as the rage takes over."

He shuddered. "It was like that. All the hate, all the rage... you could feel it pulling you in. Like you're being torn from your body. I could feel it... pulling me away."

His description sparked a surge of nervousness inside her. Shi'ira had heard this kind of description before, from the survivors of a close encounter with an Ardat Yakshi.

But that was impossible... wasn't it?

Then her mind was made up. She had to know more about creature. A rouge Ardat Yakshi was dangerous beyond belief. The longer they were on the loose and the more victims they consumed, the deadlier they became. But if what they were saying was true, then this thing was doing the exact same thing without engaging in any sort of mind meld.

She had to know more, if only to warn the Justicars about this new threat and to hrlp others if they encountered the same thing. And she knew they weren't lying about this thing. No petty lie could inspire such fear in a person.

Unfortunately the descriptions she was getting weren't the precise details she needed. There was only one way to get what she needed, and she'd be lying if she wasn't nervous about it.

"I see," Shi'ira replied, turning to Rose. "Though I will need more then that. A first hand account, if you will."

The Commander caught onto her meaning fairly quick. "A meld? Trust me, Consort, you don't want to meet this thing."

"Commander, you came to me for my help," Shi'ira reminded her gently. "Please, let me help you. To view and feel ones experiences is far better then hearing a vague description. Though I do not usually rely on such intimate measures, I feel that these hard hardly normal circumstances."

"You've seen something like this before, haven't you?"

Shi'ira winced, though she couldn't help but marvel at the Commander's perception. Aware that every eye in the room had turned to her she quickly schooled her expression back into one of calm serenity. Knowledge of the Ardat Yakshi was a coveted secret among the Asari people as a whole, and it wouldn't do to let it become common knowledge.

"I have seen... _something_ like it, yes," she admitted. She took note of how many of the faces around her lifted. For the first time since she'd seen them some semblance of hope crossed their features.

"Alright," Rose sighed, standing. "But I warn you, it's like nothing you can imagine."

"I have seen many things in my lifetime, Commander," Shi'ira replied walking over to her. "I believe I can handle this."

If Rose had any doubts she didn't voice them.

Taking a deep breath in preparation, Shi'ira reached out and gently placed her hands on either side of the Commander's head. A tingle went through her body as it adapted to Rose's biology. When it reached it's peek, she released it with the words: "Embrace eternity."

Instantly her very mind flowed through her body, up her arms and connected with the Commander's consciousness and...

 _... she was standing on the rocky ground of Therum. The blood red sky above her glared down upon her as she watched the proceedings through the Commander's eyes._

 _It was always strange watching another person's memories. Though you could feel every sensation and emotion the person had felt, it was in a disconnected way. Only the most extreme of emotions could make it through clearly. And what the Commander was feeling at that very moment was a terror so profound it permeated every fibre of her being._

 _Shi'ira watched as she scanned the surrounding area, moving to stand back to back with her teammates. The fear in the air was palpable, hanging over them like a dark cloud._

 _Even inside the memory a chill went down Shi'ira's spine. The fear was physically in the air, she could feel it. And she knew what was causing it: A biotic aura field, or something like it._

 _It was an advanced biotic technique, one that took many centuries to learn. Using her biotics an Asari could alter the biotic field that was naturally generated inside their bodies and use it to project certain emotion out to the world. Very few could do this and even fewer had mastered the art. It was mostly used by Matriarchs high on the political ladder to intimidate their rivals. She herself used this technique to generate a calming presence around her for her patients._

 _But even the Matriarchs couldn't do something like this. At best, their fields were in a small radius around them and they could only suggest emotions. If you were strong enough you could easily resist its effects._

 _But this... this was far beyond anything she had ever felt. A presence so large and dark it suffocated her under the unrelenting waves of terror it inspired._

 _Then the Commander turned and Shi'ira saw the husk for the first time._

 _It matched the brief description. Pitch black skin, covered in implants... but the eyes..._

 _They were endless black pits, snuffing out all light that entered, save for the two suns of malice that burned deep within the sockets. Even through the memory its eyes seemed to stare right into her soul, paralysing her under its gaze._

 _Then it opened its mouth and screamed._

Shi'ira cried out in pain, ending the meld and stumbled back, clutching her head.

The voices... oh Goddess, the voices! Millions of them, all screaming in rage and torment, attacking her mind with their fell shrieks... and then deeper...

...oh Goddess... such a thing could not possibly exist... and millions no less!

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as the terrible realization of what that thing was dawned on her.

That was the fear that plagued them, the fear of loosing something more then your life... something far deeper then that. The fear of being consumed, lost in the endless torment of the creature.

Finally she understood the fear the Commander and her crew felt, why they needed her help... but could she give it? Now she was just as scared as they were. The mere knowledge that such a thing existed terrified her. It left her trembling and her skin feeling cold and clammy.

Taking another breath she stilled her shaking hands and looked around. The assembled group was watching with various expressions of worry and despair. She understood why. If mere memories of the creature effected her like this, what hope did they have?

Quickly settling her features into a calming mask she took another deep breath.

"I-I..." she stammered, then swallowed as her voice cracked. The fear in her own voice surprising her. "I understand now."

Around her, faces lit up, a small amount of hope shining through for the first time.

"You all fear what this is because of what it threatens to take. Something valuable to you. Something even more valuable then your life," she continued, struggling to keep her voice level. Then she weakly gestured at the Krogan. "You said it was trying to take you?"

He nodded gravely.

"Then don't let it."

At their dumbfounded faces, Shi'ira turned in a slow circle to look at all of them. "I am no soldier, but I know that the will to live can overcome many obstacles. This is no different. We all have things to live for, big and small. Hold fast to those things. Let them be a beacon to you. Hold them close and look past your fears and see what you are fighting for. Something people always forget, is that fear can only take you if you let it."

She dry swallowed, took another breath and opened her mouth to continue, but the words stuck in her throat like dry wax. For the first time in her career she felt ashamed.

Here she was, telling people to overcome their fears when she herself was wallowing in them. She couldn't continue. She'd be an even bigger hypocrite if she did.

Looking around she saw they all had their heads down, slowly digesting what she had just said. Ducking her head she softly navigated through the group and exited through a small side door into her private office.

It was beautifully furnished with a comfortable chair, real wooden desk and potted plants and flowers around the walls. The whole place breathed of peace and serenity.

None of it comforted her.

She collapsed into her chair and stared blankly at the ceiling. Her gut clenched painfully as the memory and the sound of the husk came back.

All those voices...

Goddess...

The Commander was right, she had felt something like that before. Once... only once.

It had been a few centuries ago, before humanity had entered into the galactic community. Twin Ardat Yakshi sisters had stowed away on a supply ship and escaped to the Citadel. There, one of the had murdered... no, _consumed_ an Asari maiden during a meld.

In Asari society, an Ardat Yakshi was one of the most feared and reviled of people. In fact, such was their reputation that the Asari government did everything in their power to keep them from becoming common knowledge in the galaxy.

Ardat Yakshi were Asari born with a rare genetic defect caused by Asari inbreeding. It was why relationships with other species were encouraged and relationships with other Asari were looked down upon. To the Asari public, it was because the offspring the couple produced wouldn't advance the genetic heritage of the child, making her a pureblood in their society. For every pureblood conceived there was a one percent chance that the child would be born as an Ardat Yakshi. The condition was impossible to detect until the Asari reached maturity and their sexual drive kicked in. When they would meld with anyone their nervous system would overload that of their partner's, killing them instantly.

But that was as far as the common knowledge went. To the extreme tops of the Asari government and the Order of Justicars, the real knowledge of what happened was much more sinister.

An Ardat Yakshi did more then just kill their partner, they consumed them, both mind... and soul.

It had been a terrifying concept when Shi'ira had first been introduced to it, when a Justicar had approached her with the twins and asked for her help. One of them had murdered a young maiden, and the Justicar needed to find out which one it was so then justice could be served, and another threat removed from the galaxy. For that, she would need to meld with the each of the twins and figure out which one had done the deed.

She would have thought the Justicar would have killed them both, but the code she followed forbade it. One of them was innocent and the other was guilty. The innocent sister would be allowed to live, for as the Justicar had said, she hadn't yet tasted the energy of mortals. When asked what she meant, the Justicar only said she would understand in time. When asked why the Justicar couldn't perform the meld herself she replied with; "I must remain to end the monster should you fail and she consume you too."

So Shi'ira was dragged into the complicated game of the Justicars, forced to meld with an Ardat Yakshi to find the guilty party. In hindsight, it wasn't as dangerous as she first thought. An Ardat Yakshi could only kill you consciously, so if they were asleep and well under you could slightly brush their thoughts and not get killed. It was a proven method.

So, in an undisclosed location, where the sisters were kept in a near comatose state, she had lightly brushed their minds. When asked what she was searching for, the Justicar only told that she would know it when she felt it.

The first sister was clear of anything, but the second... oh Goddess. It sent a chill down her spine every time she remembered it.

She could feel the mind of the Asari, but she could also feel the mind of another trapped inside it. The voice of the dead maiden echoed in her mind, her last words repeating over and over again. A soul, consumed and trapped by the monster that lay before her who fed off it like a parasite.

When she told the Justicar what she found she executed the Asari, snapping her neck without a moments notice. Then the Justicar explained what the Ardat Yakshi were capable of. Consuming the souls of others, feeding off them, absorbing their skills and talents and making their life force their own.

That was what an Ardat Yakshi truly was.

Then the Justicar had charged her not to reveal what she had just experienced, on penalty of death, and vanished with the other sister the very next day.

Shi'ira didn't doubt her threat for a single instant. Justicars would kill common pickpockets if they witnessed them stealing. Their code demanded it, and they would rather die then break its rules.

But if she thought an Ardat Yakshi was bad then this was far worse. That maidan had only consumed one, but this thing... had millions...

 _...millions..._

That was impossible... it had to be...

She shivered, remembering the screams. Hateful, crying, distorted... millions of minds brought together and bound by a single cruel entity.

A gasp escaped her lips as the true scope of the situation dawn on her. With a shaking hand she pressed the call button on her desk, summoning her receptionist. Not thirty seconds later Nalyna stepped into the office.

"Consort," she said politely, giving a small bow.

"Cancel everything," Shi'ira sighed deeply, shutting her eyes. She could not continue like this. Her job relied on her to be calm, collected, a sturdy rock in a sea of doubt. But this creature had shattered her calm. Its very existence terrified her. No amount of meditation or other relaxations could pull her mind away from _that_.

So how could she help others if she couldn't help herself?

Nalyna's eyes widened, her mouth agape as she stared at her. "B-but, Consort..."

"I can't help them like this," Shi'ira gasped, her voice trembling. "Please, just... cancel everything."

After a long minute of stunned silence, Nalyna nodded slowly and made to leave. As she passed through the door, Shi'ira called out. "And Nalyna? Please contact the Justicar Headquarters on Thessia. I need to speak with one of their representatives immediately."

-Linebreak-

"She's right."

The crew was shaken out of their brooding by the Commanders words. Sighing, Ruby stood, drawing all eyes to her as she looked around.

"She's right," she proclaimed again. "I don't know about the rest of you, but now I feel like a complete idiot. We've been moping around this whole time, but over what? The Screamer is dead, I made sure of that myself. Now, as cheesy as it sounds, we need to conquer this. Yes, this unlike anything we've ever seen and yes it scares the shit out of us... but its about damn time we showed it that we are not afraid anymore."

She looked around, meeting all their shaken eyes as her voice softened.

"But there's one thing she forgot, something I need you all to remember: You. Are not. Alone. None of us are. We're a crew, a team... a family. Not by blood but by the mission we all share. And we take care of each other. If this thing scares us then we will support each other through it. 'No one gets left behind,' its a common motto on the battlefield. I feel that it applies here as well. If we're fighting our way of this... cheese incoming, pit of despair, then we'll do it together. As she said, we all need something to fight for, something to pull us of this funk. So let's all share something that gives us hope. Support each other, people. And... since I'm the one who suggested this I might as well go first."

She sighed, casting a quick glance up at the ceiling to collect her thoughts.

"I want to see my family again," she finally said in a soft voice. "There's something not many of you know about me. I was the sole survivor of Mirdoir but I wasn't from there. Before the attack Ruby Rose didn't exist. The Alliance found me with no memory other than my name. Its like I popped out of thin air. So they might still be alive."

She sighed again. "I know the chances are slim, its a big galaxy after all... but I know they're out there somewhere. And if the Reapers are going to going to take away the chance I can see them again... then they better bring the biggest guns they have, cause I won't let them go without a fight. That is why I carry on, because I know I will see them again one day."

Silence reigned supreme after she finished, though Ruby couldn't decide if it was out of thoughtfulness or the shear ridiculousness of her idea, that they could beat a supernatural fear inspired by an equally supernatural foe with the power of friendship. She blamed the cheesy kids cartoons she watched when she was younger.

But the Consort couldn't think of any better idea, so it was worth a shot.

The silence stretched on for so long Ruby thought it hadn't worked. Then Pressly shifted in his seat, swallowed and spoke.

"I have two nieces," he said at last, a small smile pulling his lips upward. "They both turn five in a few months. They're always asking when Uncle Charley is coming home from space."

He took a breath and looked around, a new fire burning in his eyes. "I _will_ be there for the party."

"I'll get you the time off," Ruby promised.

"I need to propose," someone else spoke up followed by a small chuckle. "She'll kill me if I don't."

And with that the snowball was set loose down the hill. So many things were shared that Ruby had trouble keeping track of them all. Everyone had something to say. Ashley said she wanted to make for her grandfather's dishonour during the First Contact war with the Turian Hierarchy. Tali expressed a desire to bring a gift back to the Flotilla that her father would be proud of. Even Wrex muttered something about going back to Tuchanka and setting the clans straight. Though she couldn't help but chuckle at Liara's wish to upstage all her classmates at the Archeological University on Thessia with the data she'd gotten from Therum.

As fate would have it, the wishes stopped just in time for one proclamation to be heard over all.

"Fornax: Asari gone wild issue 84."

The room went silent as everyone processed the words, then all eyes slowly turned to Joker. He looked around awkwardly.

"Wasn't me," he said. "I'm not that depraved... or lonely."

"Sounds like someone has got their priorities straight," Wrex grunted, taking a sip of tea from one of the cups the acolytes had left them.

Ruby turned, opening her mouth to say something, then paused at the sight before her. She stared, then a strangled giggle escaped her throat. She managed to keep it together for a single heartbeat before erupting into laughter.

The others all followed her gaze before they too started laughing at the sight. Everyone except Wrex, who sat there glaring at them all.

If they had all been sensible they would have known that laughing at a Krogan was a very bad thing to do. But the sight of Wrex, badass though he was, holding a miniscule teacup and platter like a refined Asari Matriarch was too ridiculous a sight to pass up on. One need only imagine a monocle and a top hat and he would have passed for a civilized member of society. The scowl didn't help his image, even as he daintily took another sip of tea.

Of course, the realization that it was a very bad idea to laugh at a Krogan never occurred to anyone. The stress of the past few days had built up to such a degree that everyone was searching for the smallest hint of release, even if it was a Krogan at a tea party. Now that the dam had burst it was impossible to stop. Deep guffaws echoed though the Consort's chambers, a blessed relief from the grim silence the crew had been going through.

Minutes of laughter past before Ruby finally pulled herself together.

"Okay people," she chuckled, wiping tears from her eyes. "Unless anyone has any objections we still got a job to do and its about damn time we got our act together."

Her posture shifted as she stood up straighter, adopting a more commanding air as the room quieted. "First things first. We need to get ourselves back into to fighting shape. Everyone get back to the Normandy and get a good ten hours of sleep, that's an order. Liara, go with them. We don't know what's going on with you yet so stay close. Standard shifts will resume 2000 hours and I expect everyone to be back on their game by then."

Her omni-tool chimed with a new message and he brought it up and looked it over. A sigh escaped her as she read it over. She had been hoping to get some sleep herself, but that would have to wait for another few hours

"Ah, its to late for this shit," she sighed, closing her device. "Remember, ten hours people, that's an order. In the meantime I got a meeting with the Council, and if your not all out cold by the time I get back I'll knock you out myself. Dismissed."

As she watched them file out of the room, Ruby know that it was only the beginning. One didn't just walk away from an experience like that after one day of counselling and a good laugh, she knew that from personal experience. Whatever that thing was it would haunt them all for a long time. But they would stand together through this as a team. No one left behind, and she intended to make that phrase a reality.

And if lady luck smiled down upon them they wouldn't have to face another Screamer on the next mission, that would help out things a lot.

Now it was back to the warzone of politics.

Joy.

* * *

 **Updated: March 7, 2017**


	13. Of Meetings and Allies

Coffee was, without a doubt, one of the most blessed exports in the galaxy. When humanity first introduced it to the galactic community it sent waves through every species who were able to drink it its holiness. How other species managed to evolve without it Ruby would never know. All she knew was that she was thankful for the small cafe just opposite of the Consort's chambers who served the lifeblood of humanity.

As the last few drops of the brown caffeinated goodness vanished down her throat Ruby let out a sigh of relief. It was heaven compared to the stuff the Alliance stocked the Normandy with. How dare that black sludge be called coffee!

Throwing the empty cup away in a nearby trash can she continued through the Citadel tower towards the meeting room where the Council was waiting her.

She didn't want to go to this meeting, but she supposed its creation was her own fault. She had declined a Council meeting after their encounter with the Screamer on Therum and sent a poorly detailed mission report instead. Now they would want a full account of her actions and most likely reticule her for something that went wrong. Politicians were like that, always finding something to gripe over. The only real problem she could think of was explaining the Screamer. How to explain a seemingly supernatural effect and convince a group of people who needed hard evidence and facts before they would even begin to consider it?

She didn't know, and it was making her head spin to find someway that would.

Soon she pulled up to the meeting room door and stopped. She quickly smoothed out her uniform and brushed her hair back, then stepped forward.

The door opened with a small hiss and she stepped into the large room. It was rather bland with a long table that filled the middle with chairs all around it. In one of them sat Councillor Sparatus, a small stack of datapads resting beside him. Councillors Tevos and Valern both stood in a corner, apparently finishing up a conversation.

But what Ruby didn't expect was for Captain Anderson and Ambassador Udina to be there as well, sitting in chairs opposite Sparatus. But what really surprised her was the third human who sat between them: Admiral Steven Hackett himself.

Instantly she stopped, stood ramrod straight and gave a clean salute. "Admiral."

"Relax, Commander," Hackett said, taking in her dishevelled appearance. "You look like shit."

Ruby winced. She could imagine what he was talking about. Pale face, or paler then usual, and bags under her eyes so long they could stretch back to earth. Of course her uniform was presentable, god forbid she go to a meeting like this in a shitty uniform.

"I feel it, sir," she replied tiredly, dropping the salute.

"I can imagine why," the Admiral said dryly, motioning to the empty chairs. "Have a seat.

She sank into one of the padded chairs with sigh, relishing the rest. Looking around she saw the two standing Councillors take their own seats at the head of the table. Then silence permeated the room as everyone studied her closely. She tried not to fidget as the large eyes of Councillor Valern glared into her.

"Commander," Tevos said at last. "The report you sent us was... less then satisfactory."

Ruby swallowed and nodded. She knew that was coming. "I understand and I apologize, Councillor. But the safety of my crew and ship came first."

The Asari's face twisted into something that was halfway between a wince and grimace. "Yes... we read about that as well. I take it you have seen to your... _ailment_?"

"You can't possibly believe her?" Valern snorted, shifting his gaze. "What she described is simply impossible. A sonic attack that reached her ship. Ha! Preposterous!"

"A sonic attack?" Ruby growled, leaning forward and glaring at the Salarian, ignoring Udina's glare at her lack of politeness in return. "With all due respect, sir, that was no _sonic attack_."

"Really?" Valern shot back. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but in your own description you said it 'screamed.' Personally, I'd call that an intimidation tactic rather than an attack."

"Have you even listened to the damn thing?" Hackett growled. "Our whole analysis team panicked. They're still in therapy trying to recover."

"Our analysis hasn't reported any... _terror attacks_ , as you say. I don't know what you're listening to but we haven't found anything troubling."

"So _you_ haven't."

"And that's a lie," Anderson spoke up. "I saw your own STG Director being taken to Huerta Memorial Hospital on a stretcher. He was petrified. You call that nothing?"

"What makes you think it was due to this?" Valern asked smoothly. "Unlike other species, the head of our Intelligence program doesn't have time to spearhead the investigation into every single new worry that crosses our doorstep."

"So the STG Director is now investigating the lethality of hospital food," Ruby smirked, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. "Perfect. About damn time, actually. Last time I was there I swear that lasagna was trying me."

Valern's face twisted in fury, his facing turning an unhealthy shade of purple.

"Please, everyone," Tevos said, raising from her chair and drawing all their attention. "We are here to take account of the Commander's mission, not point accusations at one another."

"Agreed," Udina said as she sat once again. He turned to Ruby. "Commander, your full report."

Finding herself in the spotlight of her friend and former commanding officer, her Admiral, interplanetary Ambassador and three of the most power people in the galaxy, Ruby saw no other option. She sighed, then launched into a quick description of their deployment to Therum and the Geth they encountered along the way, but leaving out all the banter the team shared. As she explained their fight through the dig site she began to give more details. She took note of how the Geth had seemingly adapted to her scythe combat and her proper handling of the situation. Then she went onto finding Liara, firing up the laser drill and finally-

"Stop," Valern commanded, raising a hand. Ruby paused mid-sentence as the Salarian questioned her. "Just for clarification, Commander, who's code-key did you use to access the elevator?"

"No ones," Ruby replied hesitantly. "I just touched the thing, got a shock and it started moving."

Tevos' eyes widened slightly and Valern looked surprisingly smug. The look he sent her way put her on edge. Leaning back in his chair, the Salarian motioned for her to continue.

So she did, explaining how they got the doctor out of the barrier curtain thing, fighting the Krogan Battlemaster and their mad dash to escape the crumbling dig site. Then Ruby steeled herself, and began to give her view of the encounter with the Screamer and the raw fear it inspired. The military men in the room listened impassively, eyes narrowing as they listened. Valern looked highly sceptical and maybe even a bit amused. But Tevos looked uncertain and even a little scared, as if her story was lining up with facts she already knew. Then, as Ruby began on how it had assaulted her mind, the Asari motioned for her to stop.

"Are you saying," Tevos tentatively asked, "that it _melded_ with you?"

"If by that you mean; 'try and tear my mind apart from the inside', yes," Ruby replied.

Tevos visibly paled, but the shock factor was lost as Valern snorted.

"But you were able to fight it off," Anderson noted. "How?"

"Yes," Valarn added, leaning forward. "How?"

Ruby hesitated, reluctant to share about her... strange mind shield and glowing body parts, and where would she even begin? She felt a fire rush through her soul? What kind of an explanation was that?

"I..." she began. "I... don't know what happened. One second it was trying to mentally claw my brain out then I just... pushed it out."

"And during that time _this_ happened?" Valern asked, pulling a datapad from under the table and sliding it over to her. After quickly looking it over she saw it was the medical report Chakwas had taken. The glowing points of energy all over her body condemning any chance that she could cover it up.

"You forget, Commander, that the investigation into your abilities is still an ongoing process," Valern said. "Any sign of inconsistency with normal human status with you is to be reported. By law your ship's doctor was obligated to send us all copies of this scan."

He clasped his hands and leaned forward, smirking at her. When nothing else happened he scowled. "Well? Explain."

Ruby blinked. "Explain what?"

"You know damn well what!" Valern exploded, bolting up right, sending his chair flying back and startling everyone. His eyes were wild, boring into her as he jabbed a finger at her accusingly. "First your speed and now this! I've held my peace for now, but no longer! Under the Citadel Council Prime Directive Promethium 1 I order you to surrender yourself to the Salarian Union for proper examination!"

"He can't do that!" Udina roared, leaping to his feet before Ruby could react.

"I can and I will!" the Salarian shouted back.

"That edict only applies to Prothean technology and artifacts!" the Ambassador argued, jabbing a finger at Ruby. "Does she look Prothean to you?"

"Gentlemen, please-," Tevos said, raising her hands placating but Valern cut her off.

"No! This is not a negotiation! Surrender yourself, Commander, that's an order!"

"Are you blind, Councillor?" Hackett growled, again before Ruby could retort. "Udina is right. Does she look like a Prothean to you?"

"That doesn't matter!"

"Then why the hell call out the Directive?" Anderson retorted. "She's human, it has nothing to do with her."

"Silence!" Tevos shrieked, her whole body glowing with biotic energy as she rose from her chair. She glared about the table from the angry human officials, to the dumbfounded Commander and finally to the simmering Salarian until they all sat down again.

"Thank you," she sighed, the glow fading as she allowed the biotic energy to dissipate. "Now, we will sit down and settle this like the civilized being we are. Then we will return to the original topic."

She seated herself then gestured at the Salarian Councillor. "Valern, the Ambassador is correct. The Promethium Directive only applies to technology and artifacts, not sentient beings."

"Allow me to correct you on that," Valern said, a smug grin coming over his face. "Yes it does apply to technology, but never in any of the clauses does it mention anything about restrictions on living subjects."

A pit began to form in Ruby's stomach. The Promethium Directive was an age old rule established by the Citadel Council in its early years. It basically stated that the Council had access to any Prothean relics or ruins harboured by any of their client species, humanity included. It was there for the advancement of everyone involved. Generally speaking the Council had the best scientists and resources to study any artifact found and so more would be gained by all if they headed the research. It was the entire reason why the beacon on Eden Prime that started this whole thing was going to the Citadel. She just didn't see how it applied to her.

Personally Ruby thought it was a blatant power-grab. But never in all its time had it ever been used to apprehend a living being. As such, this was all new territory in a political warzone. Though she hated to admit it, she needed to keep her mouth shut. When it came to someone as politically adept as Valern anything she said could be used against her. She just prayed that the Admiral, Captain and Ambassador would take care of her. Udina may have despised her guts but he wouldn't want to lose her as an asset for the Alliance, even if it meant favor with the Council. Anderson and Hackett, however, would fight until the end to keep her free. They both cared about her too much to let her go.

"Even if that is the case," Hackett ground out, "how the hell does it apply to her?"

In response, Valern reached down a pulled a small memory-stick from under the table and presented it to them. "Do you all know what this is?"

They all shook their heads, save for Tevos who nodded.

"This is a Prothean Access Code-Key. PACK. for sort," the Councillor explained slowly. "I'm sure you all realize how incredibly difficult it is to access any Prothean artifact. In fact, during research most of the time is spent breaking through the encryption of the caches of data that remain. Sometimes that process can take years. The Code-Key is a shortcut, an algorithm to beat most of those barriers. When my kind first began decrypting these caches we compiled all our knowledge of them into one single decryption program. Over time the effectiveness of the program grew as we uncovered more Prothean relics and their own unique security, adding them into the algorithm. When we first encountered the Asari we shared the algorithm with them and they too added they own data into it, same with every other species to join the galactic community."

He paused, then continued on in all sincerity. "This is the product of thousands of years worth of research on behalf of all our species... and even then it still only has a forty three percent chance of success. _Thousand_ of years, you understand? Now, Doctor T'soni sent in constant reports to the Archeological University, saying how the structure on Therum had some of the toughest encryption they ever seen and requested a PACK. She never got one before the Geth attacked."

He slowly turned and glared at Ruby. "And now, a _single touch_ from her manages to activate and lets her use long lost Prothean technology that, even with our best decryption, would take years to hack."

"So... your jealous?" Ruby asked, honestly confused at his reasoning and hoping that the growing nervousness didn't show in her voice.

"No. I'm logical," he replied, unnaturally calm. "It stands to reason that only Protheans could use their technology freely. You used easily used Prothean technology that we can't. Therefore... there must be something Prothean about you that the machine recognized."

Ruby gaped at him, shocked that he would even suggest such a thing and scared that he might actually be right. Even she didn't know why the elevator worked at her touch. "Are you saying I'm part _Prothean_?"

"... Possibly."

"Bullshit," Anderson growled. "Are you even listening to yourself? She was born human."

"Ah, but we don't know that do we?" Valarn smiled smugly at him. "All records show that Ruby Rose was found on Mirdoir, but nothing say anything about where she was born. Even she can't remember. And what about her speed? No one in the history of the galaxy has ever been recorded having these abilities. Now with her apparent ability to access Prothean technology on a whim, generate huge amounts of power inside her body and with no evidence of her birth... well, I think there's more about her than meets the eye."

"What are you suggesting?" Hackett asked, his face set in stone.

"That she is a Prothean weapon," Valarn said slowly. "Found thirteen years ago and raised by the System Alliance."

Dumbfounded silence met his proclamation as everyone struggled to comprehend his words. Finally, Ruby swallowed and mustered a reply. "You know, for someone who won't believe space is black without proof that's a pretty big claim."

"I don't believe this," Anderson muttered, shaking his head before turning to the Councillor angrily. "She's been with us for thirteen years, undergone thousands of tests and is still under observation. If there was something... _Prothean_ , as you say, about her we would have found it by now. You have no proof of this."

"The Protheans were a very advanced race," Valern said. "Genetic manipulation would not have been beyond them. And it is a proven fact, with the Prothean ruins on Mars, that they were observing your race at one point in time for who knows how long."

His eyes eyes slowly settled on Ruby, sending a shiver down her spine. "How do we know that _she_ is not the reason it's there?"

"Then shouldn't she have popped up on Mars instead?" Udina asked accusingly.

Valern considered his words for a moment, then nodded. "Perhaps. However, my point remains unchanged."

He snapped his fingers. The door to the meeting room hissed open and four armored Salarians bearing the emblem of the Salarian Special Tasks Group stepped in, stun battons hanging at their waists. They stood on either side of the door non-threateningly, but clearly ready to step in if things got ugly.

A cold pit of dread settled in Ruby's gut as she stood, body tense and watching them like hawks. She had never thought it would come to this. She knew the Salarians wanted her her research, but she never thought they would actually try to grab her like this.

"Commander," Valern said slowly. "I am ordering you as a Council Spectre to surrender yourself to my men. Your mission will be handed off to another active Spectre. As for you, you'll be taken to-"

"He can't do this!" Udina roared again, leaping to his feet as did Anderson, who added his own protests. Hackett just glared at the Salarian, cold fury in his eyes. Tevos just looked about with a look of utter surprise on her face, shocked at how fast things had escalated.

"I can and I will," the Councillor repeated. "This is out of your hands, Ambassador. Council directives always take priority, you know this."

Udina ground his teeth as he desperately searched for a retort.

"He's right."

The world seemed to drop out beneath her as Ruby heard the words. Slowly, her eyes turned to Tevos, who watched the proceedings with a strained expression. Her hands, which where laid flat on the table were trembling slightly, as if the stress was finally getting to her.

"He is right. Council directives always take priority. But..." she added sharply, forestalling the torrent of protests from the humans and darkening Valarn's smug demeanour. "...Council directives must be authorized by a majority vote of the Council members in order to be passed. Valern, you have already made your position quite clear. However, I vote in the negative. They are right. You have no proof to back up your claims. Moreover, Miss Rose is a sentient being, not a piece of technology to be handed over. I will not stand for that."

Valern simply nodded, then turned his eyes to the last Councillor. "Sparatus?"

Immediately all eyes turned to lone Turian in the room, still hunched over his datapads. He seemed oddly distracted from the proceeding events. In fact, Ruby wondered if he had been paying attention at all, or had been reading the whole time?

Feeling their gazes, Sparatus glanced up, slowly looking at them all in turn. Then he sighed and pulled a pad from his stack.

"Sit, Commander," he said quietly.

Still watching the STG operatives carefully, Ruby did so, fearful of his decision. She did not, however, expect the pad to come sliding across the table, stopping just in front of her. She eyed it warily, then glanced at Sparatus. He gestured at it.

"Read it."

Giving him one last look she slowly picked it up and read its contents. The more she read, the more her eyes widened in surprise. Finally she got to the bottom and actually dropped the pad in shock. It landed face up on the table, proudly revealing the seal of Turian Primarch Fedorian himself, the Supreme military commander of the Turian Hierarchy.

"I... uh..." she stammered, overwhelmed. Never, in the entire history the Citadel Council had this happened. She had been made the first human Spectre, now this. "I... I don't know what say, sir."

Sparatus' mandibles twitched in a Turian smirk. "Overwhelmed? I thought so. It isn't everyday I hand out personal invitations from the Primarch."

"What?!" Both Udina and Valern gasped. Sparatus ignored them and continued.

"Commander Rose, Primarch Fedorian has extended a personal invitation to become part of a joint operation with the Turian Blackwatch. I hope you understand that this is the first time in our history that this is happened. Joint operations, sure, but never a human leading one of our ops, especially with the Blackwatch. As such, you will be given full control of the Turian resources assigned and will be given full political immunity under the order of the Turian Councillor; myself."

Dumbfounded silence met his words. The gathered Humans and Asari were stunned senseless. Valern looked like he was ready to blow a blood vessel. To put the finally nail in the coffin, Sparatus turned to him and said. "Also, I also vote in the negative for your directive. I can't have one of our new operatives get taken away now can I?"

Valern stood, his face brimming with fury, hands clenched. Sparatus merely blinked in the face of his rage.

"You can't do this," Valern growled at last. "You want to figure her out just like the rest of us, don't you?."

Sparatus sighed again, then looked over to the enraged Salarian and stunned everyone with his next words. "Are you done pouting yet? Because us men of action need to plan our next move. If you're not here to help, then leave."

Valarns face tighten, visibly paling in rage. Then he stiffly stood and stalked towards the door. Before he left, however he snarled over his shoulder. "This isn't over, Commander. We will get our answers one way or another. As of now the STG is withdrawing its support of this operation!"

With that he finally stalked out, the four STG operatives following close behind. As the door slid shut a stunned calm settled upon those who remained, focused on the lone Turian who merely looked on as though he hadn't just insulted a fellow Councillor. Tevos on the other hand, after shooting glare toward him, got up and followed the Salarian out. Most likely to try and smooth out the political divide that had formed in the past minute.

Once she was out, Ruby finally found her voice. "I'm... honored, Councillor, but... why?"

"Because things are moving quick, Commander, and we need to stay on top of them," Sparatus replied. "Normally we would never even consider something like this, but certain circumstances forced our hand."

"May I ask what, sir?"

Sparatus considered her question, glanced at the other humans in the room then nodded, as if agreeing with himself. "Our own investigation into Saren turned up far more than we wanted to know."

"What investigation?" Udina asked. "C-Sec couldn't..."

"C-Sec was stone walled at every turn," Sparatus interrupted. "Saren covered his tracks well and was counting on both his Spectre status and our own pride and ignorance to hide his crimes. I admit, I wanted him to be innocent, as did the rest of the Turian High Command. They still wanted to believe in his innocence, even after you proved his guilt. So they started up their own investigation into Saren's dealings."

He clasped his hands together, looking down at the table. "They didn't like what they found. Its apparent now that we lost Saren years ago, and everything he'd done since then has been in pursuit of this madness."

"If I may ask, Councillor, what did they find?" Hackett spoke up.

"Classified," the Turian replied. "Though now its apparent he's been abusing his Spectre status within Citadel space. Moreover we came to some... scary conclusions."

He let out a shaky breath. "I take it you're all aware of Saren's flagship, the one you saw touchdown on Eden Prime? Well, yesterday the Hierarchy finished its assessment of the vessel and came to a conclusion: It is most certainly _not_ Geth in origin. Saren had notes on the damn thing and they pretty much confirmed it when they said he found it near the Perseus Veil, as well as the data he had on it. So if its not Geth or Prothean, then what is it?"

"A Reaper," Ruby said solemnly. Sparatus nodded gravely.

"Its the only theory that fits. Also Saren said it himself in his research on it. He may have gone rouge, but wouldn't be delusional about something like this, especially if it's an asset he can control. There's also the matter of the Geth following him, something Tevos and Valarn are forgetting. They're machines. They don't believe in anything. They either know or they don't know. If they're following Saren because they think he can bring back the Reapers... then we better take this fact at face value and prepare accordingly. I don't want to believe it, but the facts and data don't lie. Saren is searching for the Conduit to bring back the Reapers. But if he's searching for it, then he can be stopped."

He looked Ruby dead in the eye. "Commander, the Turian Hierarchy is in full support of your mission. Find Saren before he can find the Conduit and put a bullet through his head, for all our sakes. Then, maybe we can stop this disaster before it happens."

"I will, sir," Ruby nodded. "You can count on it."

"Good," the Councillor said. "Now, onto business. The Hierarchy has shifted the majority of its Blackwatch resources to hunting Saren. Now without the STG we need all the intel we can get. Corsair frigates are combing the fringes of Citadel space, searching every populated planet for Saren's involvement. We have a few leads already but they need further investigation. However, they lead into restricted zones and we would need access to Alliance space."

"I'll have to discuss it with our High Command," Hackett said, ignoring Udina's scandalized look. "But we need a full account of where they're going and what they're doing. On that note, I believe you can explain why we picked up a Blackwatch distress beacon on Feros."

"What?" Udina shouted. "When did this happen?"

"Yesterday," Sparatus replied. "They were following a lead on Saren's involvement with ExoGeni. They recruited an off duty Spectre to get them access. Not that I approve of that, but they got the job done."

"And did they find anything?" Ruby asked, leaning forward expectantly.

"They did. Though they couldn't get any hard data, they say ExoGeni was studying a lifeform beneath the colony of Zhu's Hope. Before they could learn more the Geth attacked the colony and they were forced to retreat."

"Then I need to get over there," Ruby said, making to rise. "Get me the coordinates and I'll..."

"It won't do any good, Commander," Hackett interjected softly. "Alliance fleets are already on station. Zhu's Hope was completely destroyed, ExoGeni along with it."

A grim silence settled over the room. Ruby sank back into her chair, face downcast. Even though she knew it wasn't her fault she couldn't help but feel guilty. What if she had gotten the lead sooner? She could have stopped this happening.

"Not everything is lost though," Sparatus said, drawing their attention. "The colony may be gone but evidence suggests the colonists might still be alive."

"How?"

In response, Sparatus tossed her another pad. Looking it over, she saw it was the mission footage from a helmet camera. She keyed it to play and watched as the screen erupted into light, showing the battered forms of black armored Turians. She immediately noticed the lack of audio as the footage jumped around, as though the wearer of the helmet was speaking. Most likely cut because of classified dialogue.

Suddenly it turned, staring out a hole in a wall and out onto a breathtaking view. Far below, the clouds formed a constantly shifting floor of greys and browns. And rising up out of the clouds were dozens of grey towers of Prothean style, dozens of kilometers high. It amazed her that they were still standing, even after fifty thousand years. Though they could escape age entirely, as she could see large chunks had falling off, leaving gaping holes in the tower's sides.

Though she forgot all that as the camera shifted to one tower in particular. The top had long since fallen off, revealing the flat floor of one of its levels. Resting on it Ruby could just barely make out the rectangular shapes of prefabricated shelters making up he colony of Zhu's Hope. A number of Geth dropships hovered around the colony, harassing it with plasma bolts from their turrets.

Then they left, flying away as though their lives depended on it. Ruby watched, confused for a moment before the camera shook from a massive vibration. Then the Turian wearing it fell to the ground, tripped most likely, sending the footage into a mangled montage of churning metal, sky and clouds.

When the soldier had recovered the camera shifted again, turning to the colony just in time to see a black shape descend. A chill went down her back as she recognized the same dreadnought that had lifted off from Eden Prime. Now that she could look at it properly she couldn't help but notice it looked like a squid, with five claw-like tentacles under its bow.

A Reaper.

As she watched, the ship began to spark, red lightning travelling down its frame. Then a red beam shot out of its bow, striking the besieged colony. A massive explosion bloomed as it struck, sending shelters flying off the tower to the hard ground far below.

Five more beams struck near the bottom where the tower met the clouds until it couldn't take anymore. With a silent groan of crumbling masonry, the tower broke in half and fell into the churning clouds, taking it, the colony and whatever secrets it held, with it.

Her jaw clenched and she clutched the pad so hard she could feel the metal warping. This was the kind of thing she swore to stop.

Then the footage began to speed up. She saw in a few seconds the Reaper ascend back into the sky and the squad recovering then regrouping. Then it slowed down again, just as the camera barer noticed something emerging from the cloud cover. It was a ship of the strangest design. Long and thin, but unmistakably Prothean in origin. She watched as it emerged, paused in the air for a few seconds then blasted up into the sky with a speed that would put the Normandy to shame. Then the footage cut out and she was left staring at a black screen.

"A Corsair frigate in orbit managed to get a lock on the vessel before it could get away. We believe the surviving colonists found it and managed to get it working with the help of... whatever it was under the colony," Sparatus said as she tossed the pad back. Then he looked to the other humans in the room. "The rest of the briefing is classified to all non-Spectre personal. You can all go. Admiral, I'll meet with you later to discus to border access."

"I look forward to it," Hackett said as he stood, the others rising with him. Then he turned to Ruby. "Commander, if you're unable to report to me personally after this I want you on the comm the next chance you get."

"Understood, sir," Ruby nodded.

As they filed out, Anderson gave her a comforting look and a nod, which she returned in kind. Once they were gone, Sparatus continued.

"Now, the Blackwatch team on Feros had a Corsair Frigate in orbit that managed to track the vessel through two Relay jumps. And yes, analysis confirms that it is Prothean in origin, but we have no idea where it came from. However, they were forced to break off before they could find its destination."

"Why?"

"Because it used an unknown Relay," Sparatus replied grimly. "Their chase led them to the Shadow Sea in the Attican Traverse. There, the ship activated a dormant Relay and escaped through it."

He leaned over, face serious. "This situation needs to be handled delicately, Commander. I'm sure you know that activating dormant Relays is forbidden in Citadel space. Of course, due to the fact the ship is Prothean in origin changes the situation. It oblivious knows where its going even if its being maned by the colonists."

"But why didn't they take it back to Alliance space?" Ruby questioned.

"That's the big question. We don't know if they're doing this on purpose, if they were forced into it or if the ship is acting on some predetermined course. None of those options bode well. It doesn't help that we have no data on what's on the other side. The Relay has remained inactive since we first found it. But one thing is for certain: Saren got what he wanted at Zhu's Hope and destroyed the colony to cover his tracks. Whatever it was managed to survive and now is attempting to flee with whatever colonists remain. We want you to follow it."

"Through the Relay?" Ruby confirmed. He nodded. "I understand, sir, but wouldn't be more prudent to send a fleet rather then one ship? I'm sure the Council would like to find out whats on the other side... it might also get Valarn off my tail for a bit," she muttered as an after thought.

A small smirk broke through the Turians stony features at her words. "I don't think you need worry about him. Tevos will smooth him over, she always does. But as to your question; no. We want to avoid doing that. Saren believes his tracks are covered and we want to keep it that way. If we send a fleet he'll know something is up. The Normandy can slip in without attracting attention and we're also hoping it can remain undetected by Prothean sensors if the unknown ship is combat capable."

Ruby nodded, digesting his words. Though she didn't like throwing her ship into unknown waters without any intel, his plan was the best one out of the bunch. He was right, they needed to keep from tipping off Saren lest he come and try to finish the job.

"Now, in light of the unknowns presented here, the Primarch is giving you two Blackwatch recon squads as support," Sparatus continued. "Does the Normandy has enough room for them?"

"They'll have to bed down in the cargo bay," Ruby replied, surprised at his gift of reinforcements. But with them coming from the Primarch it wasn't so much a gift and more like an order. "Though with all due respect, sir, my team is more then capable of handling whatever is we encounter."

"I know. Normally this wouldn't be an issue, but we're walking a thin line, Commander. If we mess up then quiet possibly the whole galaxy will pay. Saren almost destroyed this lead and we need to keep that from happening again. Hence the support. Find the survivors and find what Saren was trying to destroy. If he shows up to finish the job, then put him down with _extreme prejudice_."

The venom in that last phrase surprised her. Come to think of it, though he knew the Reapers were the real threat he still spoke of Saren as the main worry. So what was he playing at?

"I appreciate the extra support," she said. "Though I can't help but notice that you seem to be taking this... a little personally."

Sparatus' hard eyes bored into her, as if judging whether she was worthy enough for an answer. Then he sighed and leaned back into his chair.

"Saren was... a friend," he explained slowly, looking down. "I knew him when he was first accepted into the Spectres, the youngest Turian ever to be considered. He was the pride of all the Turian Hierarchy, a paragon of Turian justice and might. His ways may have been brutal, but we all understand that sacrifices must be made galactic security. I can't tell you how many of our people used him as role model. He was what every young Turian inspired to be. In fact, his trial was one of the televised events of the century. Tens of millions had tuned in to watch their hero defend himself against these... _false charges_."

His eyes burned with anger as he looked up. "And then you went up and proved to the whole galaxy that he was, without a doubt, guilty... and then he indirectly admitted it. Many couldn't believe it, and many didn't want to. The pride of the Hierarchy was broken that day. Its paragon, my friend, turned traitor to the Council, his own military and now his own species. So yes, this is _personal_. I may be able to tolerate humans, but can't, and never will, _tolerate traitors_. The Turian High Command may not share my bias, but they understand the threat Saren poses for all of us. So I am giving this to you as an order, Commander: Find Saren and put. Him. Down."

"I will, sir," Ruby replied solemnly.

Sparatus nodded and tossed another pad at her. "The Blackwatch teams you're assigned," he explained as she picked it up. "I believe you will find them extremely qualified and... eager for a fight."

"I can certain see why," Ruby said as she read the name of the commanding Lieutenant. "Are they related?"

"Yes. When I asked her if she wanted this assignment she was all to eager for a chance to restore some honor to the family name."

"I'm sure it could use it. Damn, that's a big hole to fill."

Before anything else could be said the door opened again and Tevos walked in. She looked uncharacteristically tired as she sank into her seat and gave Sparatus a look.

"Did you have to antagonize him?"

"I just called him out," Sparatus replied calmly, gathering up his pads.

"But 'pouting?' Really? You two were already divided after the last meeting and now this? Are you trying to cause a collapse?"

"No," he grunted as he stood, pads in hand. "But there will be a collapse if we don't do anything. I was a soldier long before I became a politician, and I can't walk away from a threat like this."

A deep sigh escaped the Asari and she slumped in her chair. "This again."

"This again," Sparatus nodded. "I admit, its a terrifying prospect, but one we can't ignore. We both know Saren. He wouldn't follow a cause like this blindly. He knows something, and we'd be idiots not to realize it."

He walked over to the door, opening as he approached. He took a single step out, then paused and looked back. "When your ready to face facts, come find me." Then the door slid shut behind him, leaving Ruby along with the Asari.

Tevos sighed again, massaging her forehead. "Do you know just how big of a headache you have caused, Commander?"

"A pretty big one, I'm guessing." Ruby said.

"Indeed. I thought I'd seen the end our..." she paused, searching for the right word, "...struggles with you. First it was you with your powers, then you becoming a Spectre and now this. Once again you have turned the galaxy on its head... and not in a good way either."

She leaned forward and fixed Ruby with a stare that made her fidget, a look that brokered no room to manoeuvre. "Commander, I need a real answer. The... Screamer on Therum. Did it engage in a mind meld with you?"

"Yes."

"And did it try it to... suck you out, in a sense?"

"Yes."

Tevos' face fell, the lines of worry on her face deepening. "I see. This is indeed troubling news. If the Geth are capable of... _that_ , then who knows what else they're capable of."

"With all due respect, ma'am, that was no Geth. There's no way a machine could do something like that."

"Then what else could it be?" the Asari demanded.

"A Reaper."

"And your answer disproves your point," Tevos replied. "The Reapers are machines too, if they even exist. They are a myth, a legend Saren as made to bend the Geth to his will."

"But aren't all legends based off of something real?"

Tevos' face fell slack and she slumped back, muttering something under her breath that Ruby couldn't hear. Then she collected herself and continued. "But the Reapers are not the topic I'm here to discus. Valern is... well, furious would be an understatement. He had been hoping for a situation like this for years. I'm still not sure whether I convinced him not to grab you off the streets."

Ruby's eyes widened. "He won't do that, would he?"

"I don't know," Tevos sighed, shaking her head. "Everything is in turmoil. We're hunting a rogue Spectre, the Hierarchy and Alliance look like they're gear up for war and the Salarians are trying to get you by any means necessary."

"And the Asari?" Ruby asked quietly.

"We want answers. The Screamer, the meld, the attack on you... and how you managed to fight it off. I can't help but agree with Valern. We need to know more about you, your origins and your powers. No, don't take that the wrong way," she added quickly at Ruby's horrified expression. "I haven't handed you over, but Valern needs _something_ to keep him off your back. So, we have complied a list of tests and scans for your ships doctor to preform on your way to your next mission. Maybe, with this new data, they will reveal something for all of us."

"I'll get it done," Ruby promised, rising from her chair. "Is there anything else, ma'am?"

"Yes. I've talked with your Admiral and we both agree it is no longer safe for you on the Citadel. The STG presence here is strong, and I wouldn't put it past Valern to try and abduct you. You are not forbidden here, of course. Just remain on guard and stay with an escort. You are strong and fast, I know, but these are merely precautions. In that light, Admiral Hackett has sent a squad to escort you back to the Normandy. They're waiting outside."

"Babysitters. Perfect," Ruby muttered quietly to herself, then straightened and saluted. "Thank you, ma'am. Will that be all?"

Tevos gave a tired wave of dismissal and Ruby left the meeting room. As the door slid shut behind her she immediately began scanning the area, mindful of the earlier warnings. The hallway was empty, save for the marines in black armor a ways down the hall leaning against the walls. The red stripe running down their arms marked them all as N7s.

She brightened considerably. It was rare she got to meet a fellow N7, what with everything happening now. It didn't matter if they was from a different class, they all shared a connection and mutual respect between each other for making it through the hell that was N7 school.

She hurried over, eager to get back to the Normandy. Another leg of their hunt was about to begin and she was ready to get started.

Then she yawned expansively. The strain of the last few days, coupled with a profound lack of sleep, was finally catching up with her. The mission could wait for a few hours while she went comatose, for a few hours, at least.

Just then her omni-tool chimed with an incoming message. She brought it up, read it, then groaned in despair. It was from Sparatus, saying that the Blackwatch teams were waiting outside the Normandy's docking bay for her authorization to board. She would need to take care of that first before she could even think of sleep.

No rest for the weary, it seemed.

 _Great_.

* * *

 **Updated: March 7, 2017**


	14. Travel Interlude

Never before had her bed on the Normandy felt so good that she never wanted to leave her dreamless sleep. Sadly, duty called. So she had torn herself from the warm blankets, choked on some terrible coffee, washed it down with some more Tupari and checked up on her crew. For the most part, everyone was fine. There was the usual grumpiness that came with an early morning, but nothing more then that, thankfully. There was, however, a lot of confusion that came when the engineers found the two Blackwatch teams sleeping in the cargo bay with all their gear. She had given them all a general overview of why they were there, but the main briefing would come later.

Before she had dropped into a coma she had to let the Blackwatch onto the Normandy herself, as, per her orders, no one else was awake to handle it. Once that was all taken care of she had left instructions and coordinates for Joker in the cockpit then dropped dead on her blankets. By the time she woke up the ship was well on its way towards the unknown Relay.

Now she stood in the comm room, her own team seated around her, with the addition of Doctor T'soni. They looked a lot better then last night... or was it last morning? She didn't know. They did, however, share the general confusion about the increase of Turians on board. Wrex especially seemed pissed about waking up and realizing that his sleeping area had been invaded and had responded in kind.

Random fact: A Turian's carapace made them surprisingly resilient against Krogan headbutts. Who knew? Still, Chakwas was still treating the unfortunate victim.

Ruby sighed, gulping down the last of her fifth cup of coffee, tossed the cup away then squared her shoulders.

"Alright people," she said to the gathered squad. "I hope you're all feeling better, cause our mission just got interesting."

"Is that why we've got a Turian invasion on our hands?" Ashley questioned grumpily.

"I resent that," Garrus said.

"Things have... gotten complicated," Ruby admitted. "I'll start with that basics. Saren found something on Feros. We don't know what, but it was so important that he wiped out the colony of Zhu's Hope to cover his tracks. But we have reason to believe some of the colonists survived and managed to find a Prothean ship and escape through an unknown Relay. We're going after them to find out what they know, and the Turian Blackwatch is here to back us up."

"The Blackwatch!" Garrus exclaimed in surprise. "I thought they looked familiar. Spirits. They're only deployed at the direct order of the Primarch."

"I know," Ruby said. "I wasn't kidding when I said things had gotten interesting. The Turian Hierarchy has come around to the Reaper threat. As of yesterday, they and the System Alliance entered into a joint operation to hunt down Saren, and we are spearheading that op. They're hoping that if we find him before he find the Conduit then we can stop this disaster from happening. The Blackwatch are part of this op. The Primarch gave them to us as a precaution to handle whatever is on the other side of that Relay, which we have decided to name the Zhu Relay in honor of the lost colony."

She looked around at them all. "Any thoughts, comments, concerns?"

"Can we trust them?" Ashley spoke up instantly. "Relations between Humans and Turian aren't the best right now. Is it safe to have them on board?"

"First of all, again, I resent that," Garrus said, leaning forward. "Second, they are loyal to the core. If the Primarch told them to work with us then they will do it without question and leave any problems with race behind."

"Also their CO has a personal vendetta against Saren," Ruby added. "I've talked with her earlier. She's a professional and highly skilled operative. Not to mention she's served in many joint ops before, including with humans, as have most of her men. So yes, Ash, they can be trusted."

The marine looked unconvinced and leaned back in her seat, lips pursed as she glared at the deck plating by her feet.

"Anything else?" Ruby asked, looking around. When no one spoke she smiled and turned to Liara. "Doctor T'soni, thank you for joining us. I'm sorry its taken us this long to get to you, but thing have been rather hectic."

"I understand completely, Commander," the Asari reclined her head in acknowledgement. "I can't thank you enough for getting me out of there. I don't want to think about what Saren would have done with me. After seeing that... _thing_ , I believe death would have been the least of my concerns."

A visible shudder went through the room as the Screamer was brought up.

"I'm glad we could get you out," Ruby said quickly, pulling her mind away from those dark places. "Though I hate to say it, I'm not entirely convinced of your allegiances yet."

"What do you mean?"

"Your mother is working with Saren," Ashley replied in a clipped tone.

"As I am well aware," said Liara dejectedly. "While you were meeting with the Council, Commander, I received a message from the Council of Matriarchs on Thessisa. Since her association with Saren was revealed my mother has cut all ties with them."

She looked up to meet Ruby's eyes. "As for my relationship with my mother, as I told you before I haven't had contact with her for about ten years. Even before we last meet we had been drifting apart."

"A lot can happen in a decade," Wrex said sagely, crossing his arms. "If she can let the Geth kill her own daughter then I wouldn't be surprised if Saren had her wrapped his finger... among other things."

The words hung in the air for a moment as everyone processed them. Then they collectively cringed at the mental picture it brought up.

"I did not need that image stuck in my head," Kaidan deadpanned.

"Agreed," Ashley grimaced. "Anyone have some brain bleach?"

"Shame on you, Wrex," Ruby said, pointing at Tali. "There's children present!"

"Hey!" the Quarian squawked indignantly. "I'm not a kid. I'm twenty two!"

"Technically you're still an infant by Asari standards," Liara said.

"You're not helping!"

"Also, I admit I'm not the best with expressions, human or otherwise, but what else would Saren have my mother wrapped around? His arm?" Liara asked innocently.

Everyone stared at her with varying looks of disbelief until Garrus broke the silence. "You never got hit on by anyone of the male variety in highschool, did you?"

"No. All my schooling was done in Asari exclusive academies. The courses are greatly extended due to our long lifespans. So... no. I've never been 'hit on' by males during my schooling years. Also, I fail to see how the height of the school has anything to do with it."

The looks turned incredulous as she looked around in confusion.

"Height?" Garrus questioned, then thought back to a few seconds ago. "Oh... 'highschool'. I get it."

"You've never been laid before, have you?" Wrex grunted.

"What does laying down have to do with it?"

"And we are moving on!" Ruby proclaimed loudly as Wrex opened his mouth, much to the relief of everyone else present. "Liara, aside from your complete lack of a social life, I'm getting a good feeling about you. But the truth of the matter is, what with a lot hanging in the balance, we can't just trust you at the tip of a hat."

"What do hats...?"

"Human expression, don't worry about it. But you get what I'm trying to say, right?"

"Oh. Yes, of course," Liara nodded, her voice slowly turning hard. "But I assure you, Commander, that I have no part in my mother's schemes. I despise Saren, and want nothing to do with that Turian bastard."

Ruby eyed her thoughtfully, scratching her chin. The Asari seemed honest, though honesty could be faked easily enough. Though if her lack of a social life was anymore apparent she was more of a bookwormy type and didn't get out much, if at all.

"Opinions?" she asked, looking around at her assembled team.

"I think she's good," Kaidan said almost instantly.

"Of course you do," Wrex grinned at him. "You believe anything with those two buttons, am I right?"

Kaidan's jaw clenched, but he couldn't stop the embarrassed blush that crept over his face, much to everyone's amusement. "You're never letting that go, are you?"

"Not a chance, button boy."

"Buttons?" Liara asked. "What do you..."

"We can trust her," Tali said quickly, cutting her off.

Ruby glanced over to Ahsley. The Marine gazed thoughtfully at Liara, then glanced back at her and gave a 'why not' shrug. Though her opinion was left unspoken, Ruby caught on: At the end of the day, they were the ones with the guns. If she did turn out to be one of Saren agents, then it wouldn't go over well for her.

"My C-Sec senses aren't tingling," Garrus said. "She's good."

Smiling, Ruby turned back to a concerned Liara. "Jury has spoken. Welcome aboard, Liara, our new resident Prothean expert."

"I... thank you, Commander," the Asari stammered. "I will help in any possible way I can."

"You know about our mission then? About Saren and the Reapers?"

"Yes," the Asari replied. "I've done some research into your claims and compared them to current data and my own notes. Its... a scary theory, but the most possible. No one knows how or why the Protheans vanished fifty thousand years ago. Being hunted to extinction is just as likely as anything else right now. But if that's the case, then why did the Reapers leave?"

"I don't know," Ruby replied, shaking her head. "But we're going to stop them from coming again. So doc, as our Prothean expert do you know what the Conduit is?"

Liara thought about it for a moment, then shook her head. "I'm sorry, but no. The term has come up before, but only vaguely. The only thing I can say with certainty is that it had something to do with their extinction. "

"So not even a clue of what or where it is?"

"Sadly, no. I don't think anyone, even in the university would have anything on the matter."

"Damn. Well, there goes that idea," Ruby muttered to herself.

"However, you yourself might have a clue of where it is."

Ruby blinked, brow furrowing as she processed the doctor's words. Unbidden, the words of Councillor Valarn flooded her mind. How she might be a Prothean experiment. Liara's words sparked a twinge of nervousness in her. Did his idea have some merit?

"What are you talking about?" she asked, hoping to distract her thoughts.

"The beacon on Eden Prime," Liara explained. "From my research, I can determine that the Protheans used an advanced form of communication, and the beacon is the pinnacle of that. Complex ideas can be shared at a mere touch, without the limitations of language. It stands to reason that if Saren needed the beacon to find the Conduit, then it must have some clue about its locations. A clue that now resides inside your head."

Ruby blinked, throwing her mind back to the visions she'd seen after Eden Prime. Random, chaotic visions of war and destruction. She failed to see how that had anything do with the Conduit. Unless the Conduit was a weapon that helped bring the Prothean's destruction.

She sighed. Why couldn't things just be simple?

Pulling her mind back she was taken off guard by the way Liara was now staring at her. A mixture of awe, excitement and louging.

"Are you alright?" Ruby asked slowly, taking a careful step back.

Liara shook herself, blushing. "Oh... I-I'm sorry. Its just that... very few people have survived an interaction with a beacon before. Even among my race such melds are often lethal, as the Prothean data can easily overwhelm their minds. Few survive, and if they do, even fewer can keep their sanity. You must be an incredibly strong willed person to escape such an encounter unscathed," she finished, smiling.

It was _that_ smile. The smile Ruby had seen on too many young Maidans to count. The ones so smitten with her they would gladly do anything to get her attention.

 _Anything_.

She shuddered. That flash had been too much. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was in private or in an elevator... but in front of _Admiral Hackett_? She had almost died of embarrassment. Worse yet were the rumours of a betting pool in the Matriarch Council for the first one to bed the superpowered human.

She could never look at Asari the same way again.

Just before her mind could tumble down the point of no return, the door to the comm room hissed open. Ruby turned, thankful for any distraction. In walked a female Turian in pitch black armor, unmarked, save for the rank of Lieutenant on her shoulder. Her face was covered by the traditional blue colonial markings of Palavan, and her stern, ice blue eyes shone with a fiery passion.

"Lieutenant, good to see you," Ruby greeted her, holding out a hand.

"The feeling is mutual, Commander," the Lieutenant replied, stopping and giving her a firm handshake.

"Everyone," Ruby proclaimed, looking around. "This is Lieutenant Stela Arterius, the Blackwatch commanding officer."

A grim silence hung in the air for a moment as the name processed.

"Arterius?" Garrus questioned slowly. "As in..."

"Yes," Stela sighed. "Saren Arterius is my twin brother."

"Ouch."

"Tell me about it."

"So you're here for revenge?" Wrex asked.

"You're damn right," she snarled. "I always knew Saren was an asshole. I just never thought he'd do something like this. Now he's an asshole _and_ a traitor. So I'm here to pound some sense into him... then I'm gonna kill him."

"I never knew Saren had a sister," Ashley remarked.

"Did you know he used to wet the bed until he was ten?" Stela smirked. "Trust me, there's a lot you don't know about our family."

"We'll take your word for it," Ruby said, wincing slightly at her words. What she wouldn't do to know a single thing about her family. "How are your men settling in?"

"Good enough. We've bunked in worse. Though your Krogan gave us a bit of a surprise."

"So I heard," Ruby said, frowning at Wrex. "Hows your man's nose?"

"...Lets just say he's had worse and leave it at that."

Ruby nodded once. "Fair enough. Now, lets get back on topic."

She turned back to Liara. "You said that the beacon might have left a clue in my head, right?"

The Asari nodded. "Yes. Past reports of those who survived a beacon encounter said they were left with... strange visions. Wild, distorted images and feelings. Did you experience anything of the sort? I've look through everything I can, but nothing says for certain if you did."

"I did," Ruby admitted. "Though I couldn't make heads or tails of it. It seemed more like a warning of the Reapers then anything."

"And why didn't you tell us this before?" Ashley asked. The others all nodded in agreement and looked to her expectantly.

"Because Council. I'm sure you all know they don't take anything without proof. Backing up the Reaper threat with a weird vision I had? Come on, they would have thrown it out faster then concerned Fornax. And if we had brought it up at the trial, Saren would have walked all over us with it. Other then that, it hasn't really been relevant... until now, at least."

"That makes sense," Ashley nodded. "But where the hell did that analogy come from?"

"Liara!" Ruby said quickly. "Beacon. Visions. How lead us there. Talk please."

The Asari jumped at her name being called. "Oh, yes, of course. Well... it stands to reason that the transfer system, as we call it, is made for Protheans. Therefore only those of the same species would be able to understand the data the beacon gives them."

"But I'm not Prothean. So understanding it is impossible."

"Unfortunately so."

"Maybe that's what Saren was after," Stela spoke up, drawing everyone's attention. "I knew Saren well enough to know he wouldn't do anything on a whim. Feros was home to a Prothean metropolis. Maybe they had a way to... translate it, for lack of a better term."

"Or maybe a Prothean somehow survived," said Kaidan. "I mean, you said it was a Prothean ship that escaped."

"Impossible," Stela interjected. "If there was a live Prothean the Blackwatch would have found it before the colony was wiped out. Besides, I doubt it would have let Exo-Geni hold it captive."

"Either way, we'll find out soon enough," Ruby said. "We're about ten hours away from the Zhu Relay. So far as we know Saren is unaware of this, and we want to keep it that way. We'll go in with the stealth systems online. I want everyone prepped and ready before we jump. Anything could be waiting on the other side and we need to be ready. Lieutenant, are your men prepared?"

"Just say the word and we'll drop, Commander," Stela replied confidently.

"Perfect," Ruby smiled clapping her hands. Then she turned to her team. "In terms of our own readiness... well, to be honest, we're kind of behind. The drive on Therum did a number to the Rose-Mobile and the crew hasn't had a chance to fix it up. So, as a team building exercise we will be fixing it up ourselves. And Tali can help me iron out the power troubles."

Silence met her words as everyone blinked in confusion.

"The Rose-Mobile?" Ashley asked, dumbfounded.

"The Mako," Ruby clarified.

"The _Rose-Mobile_?" the marine repeated incredulously as Tali snickered. "What kind of name is that?"

"You got problem with my name, Ash?" Ruby retorted playfully. "Actually, don't answer that. Lets just go. We got a gun on wheels to fix."

An hour later saw the whole team working on a different part of the six wheeled rollercoster of an APC.

Before the elevator had even made it down to the cargo bay, Ruby had made it perfectly clear that she was on gun duty and dared anyone to touch her 'precious,' as she called it. While she lovingly cleaned off the three barrelled monstrosity, Tali, with her permission, worked away at the fuses connecting the gun to the power systems, trying to find some of the problems that presented themselves on Therum. Soon Ashley had finished up her duty of cleaning up the outside of the hull and joined Ruby up top. Though Ruby hissed it her and hugged the massive death bringer protectively when she picked up a cleaning rag.

Down below in the cabin, Kaidan was going over the navigation systems with Liara, helping to update the software. As it turned out the archeological surveys Liara had been a part of used an advanced program to the map the terrain to locate Prothean ruins. It was too good of an upgrade to pass up on and Ruby sent them both to update the system.

Even further down, Garrus worked on the suspension, cursing under his breath as he pulled mangled Geth parts out of the wheels and hull. After Ruby had scared him away from her baby he had muttered something about calibrating the suspension, crawled underneath the vehicle and got to work. She didn't know why, but when he mentioned that word a strange feeling had settled over her. It wasn't bad, more ominous then anything.

Wrex had surprised everyone and pulled off a stroke of creative brilliance no one thought he had... but at the same time, kind of expected. After cleaning away the Geth fluids that coated the hood after Ruby's mad driving, he took a good long look at it. A savage grin had come to his face as he walked away, coming back shortly later with scrap metal he'd gotten from engineering. Soon a spiked fender had been mounted on the vehicle's nose, with the help of omni-jell, off course. The grin never left his face as he filled away at the tips of the spikes, occasionally testing their sharpness as he did so.

After clearing away the last of the grime from the three barrels, Ruby threw down her rag and sighed contentedly. Nothing said readiness better then a well polished weapon. After examining the barrels one last time she gave them a clean bill of health and looked up.

Ashley was sitting on the edge of the Mako's roof, staring across the cargo bay with a scowl. Ruby followed her gaze.

Stela hadn't been kidding when she said the Blackwatch was ready. In light of the Normandy's Mako deploying capabilities the Turians had prepared accordingly. Two IE-35 Falco Armored Personal Carriers took up the other side of the cargo bay, with the twelve Blackwatch members, Stela included, clustered around them, preparing the vehicles for combat.

The two Falcos were smaller then the Mako, but still able to hold a full squad of six. Unlike the Mako, however, they only had four wheels and couldn't operate in as extreme conditions. They were also both painted pitch black, in accordance with the Blackwatch style.

Her eyes shifting between the two, Ruby reached down to the plate sitting next to her. When her hand met nothing but crumbs she whimpered quietly. She really needed to control her cravings. She had just burned through five of her dwindling supply of cookies.

Space travel may have been cool and all, but the lack of convenience was killer.

Giving the plate one last wistful look she again focused on Williams. She could feel the marine's discomfort a mile away.

"You really don't trust them, do you?" she asked softly.

Ashley jumped slightly, then nodded. "Its... kind of personal."

"Isn't everything?" Ruby replied, moving to sit beside her, legs dangling over the edge of the vehicle's roof. "But really, what's wrong?"

A few seconds past in silence before Ashley sighed. "Its nothing, Comma-"

" _Ruby_. Off duty, remember?"

"-Ruby," Ashley continued after correcting herself. "Its just... I never really trusted aliens to begin with. Now I'm on a ship with a Krogan, Quarian, Asari and a whole shitload of Turians. I don't like it."

"They may not be Alliance, but they're still allies, Ash," Ruby said softly.

"I know, but..." she hesitated briefly. "This is the most advanced ship in the Alliance. Should they really have free reign around it?"

"I don't see a problem," Ruby shrugged. "I mean, the Turians helped to build it. They probably know everything about it already."

"That doesn't exactly make me feel better."

"Well, I can't really say anything that will. They're stuck with us now, Ash, and we're all on the same sinking ship. The Reapers are coming, and people are beginning to wake up to that. If we can't stand and fight them together then we'll all suffer for it."

When she still looked unconvinced, Ruby nudged her. "Look at this way. When we stop Saren, we'll go down in history as the ones who saved the galaxy. We'll all be heroes. And before you know it, they'll be using us as role models in the bootcamps while we live off the movie rights. So we'll rich _and famous.._. for all the right reasons," she added, wincing as she remembered her own painful history.

Ashley's lips quirked upward. "Now that does make me feel better."

"That's what I'm here for, Ash," Ruby said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. "We're a team. We look out for each other... But I can't help but ask if this whole 'mistrust' thing you have will be a problem."

"Absolutely not," she replied instantly. "I'll follow your orders no matter what. You say 'jump', I say 'how high?' You tell me to kiss a Turian, I'll ask which cheek."

"I'd be willing to take you up on that offer, human!" one of the Turians across the cargo shouted.

There was a split second of silence before the group of Turians roared in laughter at Ashley's mortified expression. It was only made worse as Wrex joined in, his deep roars of amusement echoing around the cargo bay.

Ruby couldn't help but chuckle and patted the embarrassed marine on the back comfortingly.

"I'll never be able to live that down, will I?" Ashley groaned in despair.

"Probably not," Ruby replied, struggling to hold in her own chuckles.

"Kill me please."

"Can't do that, Ash."

"Please. My family name has suffered enough."

"Nope." Then, in an effort to pull her away from the embarrassment, Ruby called over her shoulder. "Hey, Tali, how are those checkups going?"

Tali poked her head up from the other side of the gun. There was a small grease mark on her visor from her work. The access port on the turret ring had to be shrunk in order fit everything, so the mark wasn't surprising.

"All good on this end," she replied, rubbing the stain away with a cloth. "I'm honestly impressed. For something so cobbled you've managed to wire everything together... reasonably."

Ruby raised an eyebrow. " _Reasonably_?"

"It could have been better, that's all I'm saying."

"Hey, I'll have you know I spent _weeks_ on that thing. There's nothing 'cobbled' about it."

"Other then itself?" Tali shot back dryly.

"Its a marvel of engineering," Ruby countered.

"I'll be the judge of that. I _am_ the engineer, after all."

"Well I'm kind-of-sorta engineer/gun-nut who made it! And I say it's _art_."

"Whatever," Tali scoffed playfully, returning to her work as she closed the access port. "Seriously though, I'm impressed. I haven't seen this level of work since I left the Flotilla."

She paused in her work and sighed contentedly. "Its... like a little taste of home, actually."

Blinking, Ruby leaned over to Ashley and whispered. "I really don't how to respond to that."

"And done!" the Quarian proclaimed, finally sealing the port closed and standing. "Nothing wrong in there. "I'm starting to think its something in the main fuse box. Does this have a FBR?"

"Uhhh... yeah," Ruby nodded after a moment of thought. "Its standard issue."

"A what?" Ashley asked.

"A Fuse Break Reset. Basically it resets the fuses after a moment if they trip and it can't detect a continuing problem. Its there because its a pain in the ass to get at the fuses in combat."

"Right," Tali said, scratching the chin piece of her mask like one would scratch their chin. "It would also explain how your dash abuse fixed everything."

" _Dash abuse_?" Ruby laughed. "Its called _encouragement_."

"Whatever you say," the Quarian said, carefully picking her way across the top of the APC to the rear hatch.

Ruby followed her, and together they crawled inside.

The cabin had been given a quick cleaning, getting rid of the volcanic dust that had managed to make it inside during their last mission. At the front, Kaidan and Liara worked on the navigation systems. Or, at least, that's what Ruby thought. As they drew near, a very different topic of conversation was heard.

"...its all a matter of focus," she heard Liara say. "Your biotic energy is acting like a pool. If you pull only from the surface you can never..."

Interesting.

Tuning out their conversation, Ruby crawled between the two front seats and found the fuse box panel beneath the dash. As she worked to get the latches open on one side, Tali crawled up beside her and got to work on the other side. In a few moments they succeeded. The hatch popped off, letting out a smell of burnt... something.

"Oh no, that's not good," Tali said as she sniffed, setting the panel aside before peering inside. "Something is defiantly sorting."

"Damn. I didn't think it was that bad," Ruby whispered, looking around inside the cramped fuse box. The rows of glowing circuit boards, wires and fuses all looked intact. But something was defiantly burning. "Also, you can smell through that?"

Tali sighed in relief, ignoring her. "Well, from the smell alone its pure luck and your own... _encouragement_ that we're not a burning crater on Therum right now."

"Lets just get this working," Ruby said seriously. "I don't want that to happen again."

"Same," the engineer grunted, pushing her arms into the small space and feeling around. "Nothing feels out of place here... and I can't see any smoke... its probably been smouldering for-Wait! I found something!"

They both watched, breathless as Tali carefully reached down between two circuit boards and pulled out... a thick black disk of some crumbly material. They both blinked in surprise as Tali pulled it out into the cabin. Even as she held it, the disk crumbled away, dropping burned crumbs to the deck plating.

 _Crumbs._

"Is this... one of those _cookies_ you love so much?" Tali asked slowly, her eyes narrowing as she looked over at Ruby.

"Uh... maybe?" Ruby murmured sheepishly, slowly backing away with an awkward smile. "I mean, I did lose one down here a while ago while we were in dry dock, but I thought Joker took it."

"We almost died... because of a _cookie_?" the irate engineer asked, her voice disturbingly calm.

"...Maybe..."

Behind her mask, Tali's eyes narrowed into slits and her hands slowly clenched. Ruby knew what was coming before it even happened.

She shot to her feet and bolted for the rear hatch, leaving a trail of rose petals as her speed activated. But she was still a split second too slow as the burned cookie flew out and hit her in the back of the head, exploding into a cloud of ash. As she stumbled, her foot caught the edge of the hatch. As she tripped, she had a split second of perfect clarity as the cold deck of the cargo bay came up to meet her. Only one thing came to mind.

This was going to hurt.

-Linebreak-

"I'm getting a strange sense of deja-vu here, aren't you?"

From her place on the bio-bed, Ruby groaned, her voice muffed by the layer of blood stained medical gaze slapped to her bloody nose. Standing beside her, Chakwas laughed softly. "I still remember when the same thing happened back on the Harvest."

Stifling another groan of agony, Ruby pulled the gaze away. Her eyes watered as she gingerly felt the inflamed skin. "My poor nose."

Chakwas couldn't help but chuckle some more. Admittedly it had been momentarily terrifying when Tali burst into the medical bay, supporting a blood stained Ruby between them as she clutched her nose in agony. Despite the front of her uniform being completely soaked in blood it took Chakwas only a few seconds to determine that the injury wasn't life threatening, even though Ruby continued to moan that it was the most pain thing she had ever felt and begged for painkillers. She was handed a wad of gaze and told to make due.

All the while Tali was hovering close by, fanatically apologizing and asking Chakwas over and over again if she would be alright. Understandable, as for a Quarian a nose bleed or broken nose could prove fatal. If one happened, and not treated and drained right away, the blood could pool up inside their masks, literally drowning them in their own blood. The alternative was to remove their masks and drain it manually, a death sentence for a Quarian with their non-existent immune systems.

Soon, and after much prompting and assurances, she had ushered Tali out and started treating the 'wounded' Commander. In short, give her gaze, a dab of medi-gel and tell her to suck it up.

A beeping from her desk terminal caught her attention. It was the completed scans the Council had issued her to run on Ruby. Seeing as she already had her in the medical bay they figured they might as well get them over with.

A quick glance over the results revealed that nothing had changed from the norm. Even with the advanced sensors the Normandy possessed, and even with the specific things they were searching for, not a single thing was out of place. Frowning, Karin filed away the results, then pulled up the list. She checked off the completed scans, writing down a quick summery that nothing had been found. It was a boring task, but it had to be done.

As she reached the bottom of the list, there was a request from both the Asari and Salarian Councillor that took her by surprise. She had to reread again just to be sure. Then after a moment of consideration, agreed.

"All scans turned up negative," she said, going over to a storage unit on the far wall. "However, there is something else they want us to investigate."

Ruby sniffed, dabbing away the last trails of blood from her nose. "And that is?"

"A visual examination," the Doctor said with a frown, digging around inside the unit. "From the readings your armor sent of the energy signals in your body, one of them is in a good position that we might be able to see what it is. To be quite honest, I'm a little curious myself. Nothing is showing up on scans, but that single spot was giving off enough energy to power an omni-tool with ease for months."

"Weird, but cool. Where is it?"

"Your lower arm, just below the skin level."

"Ah. So how is this going to work?"

"The old fashioned way," Karin said, pulling out a sanitized scalpel. "Seeing as scans can't detect anything a visual exam is required. Councillor Valern was especially vocal about this."

Ruby's face paled slightly as the gleaming blade entered the light. "Uh... is that really necessary?"

Her reaction caused Karin to snort in amusement. "You can run headfirst into enemy fire, but a scalpel scares you? Some fearless leader you are."

She chuckled again at the pout Ruby sent her way as gathered a few more supplies. The she walked over and pushed Ruby down onto the bed. "Now down. This shouldn't take a minute."

After getting Ruby to roll up her sleeve, she slipped on a pair of medical gloves then rubbed a small section of skin halfway between her wrist and elbow with a numbing agent mixed with a sanitizer and a few other meds. She waited a moment for the fast acting agents to take effect, then picked up the scalpel again.

"S-shouldn't I be out for this?" Ruby stuttered as Chakwas slowly lowered the blade to her skin.

"Its not a deep incision," the Doctor replied, fully focused on her work as the blade made contact with skin. "Really, its only a scratch... and done."

She pulled the scalpel away, revealing a single line not longer then a finger width. The meds kept the incision from bleeding. Still, Ruby whimpered when she saw the it.

"There. That wasn't so bad, was it?" Karin smiled, giving her a lighthearted pat on the head as she put aside the scalpel and picked up a pair of tweezers. Gently inserting them into the incision she eased it open before looking inside. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

"Oh my..."

"What?" Ruby asked, leaning up as best she could to see. When she did, her breath hitched in her throat.

There, shining in the middle of the opening was a single red... crystal. At least, it looked like one. It was no bigger then a few milometers, but its red sheen easily distinguished it from the pink flesh that grew around it around it. And if she looked closely, she could have sworn that it was... glowing sightly.

"Karin... what is that?"

"I... I don't know," Chakwas breathed. "It... how has this never shown up on scans?" She had her omni-tool out in a flash, waving it over the strange object. Not a single program she ran detected it. For all intents and purposes, the crystal was as much a part of her as a living cell.

"This makes no sense," she muttered, going back to the storage unit and selecting a thinner, more fine scalpel. "I'm going to see if I can remove it. Brace yourself, this may get a little uncomfortable."

Ruby gulped, but nodded all the same. She had no choice in the matter, really. Because when Karin Chakwas had her mind set on something, especially medical-wise, there was no stopping her. Honestly, that woman had made Admirals cower before her medical might. In some cases military authority didn't matter, because at the end of they day everyone needed injections of some kind. And it was the ship's doctor who decided if you got the painless injection, or a giant six-inch needle.

And that was a fact. Karin _did_ have a giant needle, Ruby had seen it.

Shivering, Ruby forced those thoughts out of her mind as Karin gently began severing the flesh around the crystal. The good doctor knew what she was doing, and Karin wouldn't put her in any danger.

She couldn't help but be fascinated as Chakwas expertly cut the crystal free of its fleshy prison. And that was... scary for some reason. The more she watched, the more a small trill of nervousness grew inside her. This crystal didn't belong in her body and she wanted it out... but there was something else. Some deep part of her that was panicking at the sight of it inside her body. Something was wrong about it, it shouldn't be there. But this... this...

... _Dust_...

The word rang in her mind like a bell. But it was immediately forgotten as, in spite of all her care, Karin lightly nicked the crystal.

A cold chill, colder then the darkness of space swept over her body, paralyzing her. Her back went rigid and she gasped as the air left her lungs. Her vision blurred and her senses blurred in an instant. She felt... weak. As though an attempt had been made to rob her of life on a fundamental level...

"That should do it," she heard Karin's distant voice, as if from miles away. "I'm pulling it out now. Hold on."

"No," Ruby gasped weakly, still reeling from shock. "Karin, wai-"

Then pain. Unending, mind rending, soul wrenching pain.

Ruby screamed, her body rigid as she felt the crystal start to leave her body. It was like nothing she had ever felt before. It was everywhere, tearing her body apart from the inside as something was pulled out with the crystal. It seemed to go on for eternity. She could muster no coherent thought as wave upon wave of agony crashed upon her.

Then something shifted, there was a sudden falling sensation as her back slammed into the bio-bed, her vision cut to back and...

... _She slammed down hard onto a cold, unrelenting floor, driving the air from her lungs. She gasped, the earlier pain slowly fading away, leaving her feeling weak all over. Groaning, she settled herself as comfortably as she could on the cold, hard floor, riding out the last dregs of agony. Her vision flickered, blinding her to the outside world. Her body tingled all over and she couldn't do much more then twitch, though it was fading fast._

 _Then a voice slowly started to register to her muted ears. Dull and far away, but still there._

" _...class, we must remember t... ust is a very fra... arful."_

 _It faded in and out, but slowly grew louder as her senses returned. But soon they recovered enough that Ruby could hear the voice clearly._

" _As you all remember from our last lesson," the voice said. "That Dust is a very dangerous compound when handled incorrectly. I know we are returning to basics here, but this lesson cannot be stressed enough."_

 _Dust? Dangerous? That got a chuckle out of her. How could skin particles floating around in the air be dangerous? But where the hell was she?_

 _Giving one last groan, she fought through the pain and pushed herself into a sitting position. Her vision swam as colors flashed before her eyes. Then she blinked rapidly and the dizziness quickly faded away. She looked around and gaped at where she was._

 _A high, arched ceiling hung above her, styled like an old cathedral. Large windows set into the far wall let in streams of bright sunlight, underwhich was set a row of blackboards covered in diagrams and other sciency stuff. But what really got her attention was the figure that stood in front of the them... or rather a silhouette. Its form was female, but completely black, as though she had been dipped in liquid tar. She was pointing to a diagram of a red crystal... just like the one in her arm._

" _Those of you who use Dust on a daily basis in combat are no doubt aware of the many precautions that are taken to insure that the Dust remains stable," the voice said again and Ruby realized it was the black figure speaking. "Though incredibly stable in its two forms, it is always important to make sure the proper safety precautions are taken. For a little bonus can anyone tell me what forms of Dust there are?"_

 _There was a brief pause before the figure, a teacher most likely, pointed at something behind Ruby. "Yes, Miss Adel."_

 _Ruby glanced over her shoulder and started as she realized that a large stand towered behind it. It was like the ones she had seen in N7 school and some Universities she'd visited with Chakwas. The seats were filled with similar black figures, both male and female. Though, if she looked closely, she could see brief flashed of color appear on them. Though her attention was instantly drawn to a figure, who's black form was twinged with a rich shade of brown._

 _She seemed... familiar somehow. The whole room did. But where...?_

" _Crystalline and Powdered," the black/brown figure said in a rich voice, pulling Ruby out of her thoughts._

" _Correct. As we all know, Dust, also known as Nature's Wrath, harnesses the power of the four main elements, allowing for incredibly powerful Dust attacks when used in conjunction with Aura."_

 _Magic dust? Aura? This was all starting to sound like one those anime she used to watch when she was younger. Instead of listening, she began to look around. This place was slowly started to get more familiar with each passing minute. She was starting to get excited. That familiar stirring in her mind was coming upon her._

 _Maybe, just maybe she would learn something... anything._

" _However, like all things Dust related, there are dangers even more deadly then explosions. Can anyone tell me what they are?" The teacher asked._

 _This time a full minute passed by without anyone responding. The teacher seemed satisfied with this. "I thought so. Yes, we will be learning something completely new about Dust today. However, there is a reason why this isn't taught in earlier courses. Mostly that the revelation would scare some of you out of using Dust altogether."_

 _Despite her earlier excitement, now Ruby couldn't help but be disappointed in herself. She was remembering this place alright, mostly because of how boring it was._

 _The teacher paused for a moment, then continued in a tone so serious it left no room for doubt. "Dust application in our world is so common that no one considers the risk that many go through to get it for us. How the miners risk not only their lives, but their very Auras in the process."_

 _Murmurs swept through the stands behind her._

" _How is it a danger?" the teacher asked. "Dust, by it's very nature, allows it to interact with our Auras. Such is the way that we are tied to our planet, Remnant."_

 _Ruby's head shot up._

Remnant!

" _Using it, people such as Miss Schnee or Professor Goodwitch and cast powerful spells using the elemental energy contained with the Dust. But... where does that energy come from? Sure, Dust is called Nature's Wrath, but that is only half the equation. Nature is merely the template for the Dust, but we provide the power. It all starts with how Dust formed on Remnant. Many theories say that the combined Aura energy generated by every living thing on Remnant is collected by the planet in mineral deposits across the globe. Over time, certain aspects of nature will be mixed in and the minerals will slowly transform into the element we know as Dust. So, in a manner of speak,_ we _are the reason why Dust exists on Remnant. It also explains why we can so easily utilize Dust, due to the unique connection it has to our Aura. However, such a connection is not without its dangers. Can anyone tell me what the phenomenon known as 'Dust Suspension' is?"_

 _There was another pause before the teacher pointed to someone in the stands._

" _It is a phenomenon where expended Dust will retain its form even after all its energy has been expended," another voice, high, regal... and familiar said._

" _Correct. Thank you, Miss Schnee. Yes, once Dust has been used in a spell or anything else like it, it will disintegrate. This is due to a process known as the Dust Expenditure Cycle. It begins once the Dust has been activated and starts to release its pend up energy. It is important to note that once the process begins, it is impossible to stop. After the Dust has expended all the energy within it, it will break down its physical form and turn itself into pure energy to sustain the action for as long as it can. That is why there is no by-product when Dust is used, other then the intended effect. But before the Dust will destroy itself it will look for another source of energy to draw upon... from that, is born Dust Suspension. In extremely rare cases, and I mean extremely rare, the Dust finds a person's Aura and draws upon that for energy. The loss is minimal. So minimal we don't notice it. Most discard the used Dust before then, severing the connection before effects can be more profound. But we cannot deny the reality. Such is the connection we share with Dust."_

 _She sighed deeply before continuing. "But this phenomenon is only the beginning. If raw, unrefined Dust, such as in the mines is activated and this phenomenon occurs while a person is within close enough proximity, then the combined draw of the Dust will drain his Aura like a water to a sponge... and it won't stop. Not until there is no energy left to take, and I mean all of it... Some say its a fate worse then death: Having your very soul sucked out by Dust."_

 _Ruby shivered. That sounded horrifying. She looked over her shoulder, but the black figures in the stands reminded as expressionless as ever... but now there was, something familiar about all of them. A dash of color here, or a piece of clothing there. But nothing she could really recognize. Still, she was getting all hyped again._

" _And some people thought the Grimm were terrifying," the teacher chuckled. "How would they react if they realized that the life source of Remnant could kill you just as easily."_

 _Fascinating, Ruby thought. But enough about science and get to-_

" _But some would argue that there is something worse. And this is a real medical documented condition known as 'Dust Imprisonment.' It has been seen before in Dust mines, but the cases are_ _so rare they're almost non-existent,_ _and those that survive are even rarer. When raw, unrefined Dust enters the body it remains inert and can easily be removed. However, if someone were to draw upon their Aura and accidentally trigger the Dust in a spell... then the Dust inside them will draw upon their Aura to fuel it. But the real curse comes when the spell ends. As I said before, once the process starts it is impossible to stop. Though the spell may have ended, the Dust will still be searching for energy to keep itself from total disintegration and it will continue to draw energy from it's host until it is removed... or there is nothing left to take._ _Refining the Dust removes this issue, however, so please don't be paranoid whenever you walk into a Dust store._ _"_

 _A silence settled over the room. Though Ruby barely had a clue what they were talking about, this sounded nasty enough to almost be true._

" _There are many variations to this condition," the teacher continued. "It mostly depends on how much Dust is in the body once it is triggered and the Aura of the victim. Each level has its tolls on both a person's Aura and Semblance. As I said before, the drain it has is minimal, but in great quantities it can be devastating. Even though our Auras can replenish themselves, the more Dust there is, the harder it becomes. For example, if a starting huntsmen has five percent or under Dust concentration_ _of Dust per quarter of his mass_ _inside his body, then his Aura will feel weaker and will take longer to recharge. Ten percent will be even slower, and he will never reach full capacity. Twenty to thirty percent will slow it to a crawl, and he'd be lucky to get it to halfway full. At thirty five percent Aura reserves stop recharging completely. At this stage the energy consumption of the Dust is taking nearly all Aura available, though there is still enough to power his Semblance. At forty percent he looses Aura and Semblance completely. Over forty five and the consumption of the Dust becomes to great for a person's soul to sustain, and he begins to fade away. The higher the concentration after that, the faster the person dies."_

" _I can hear you all asking, 'why not just get it removed?' Well, then you would have to act fast. Due to the connection Aura shares with Dust it can fuse with both your Aura and body within a few hours. In short, the Dust becomes one with you in body. Impossible to detect without very specialized equipment."_

 _The teacher paused then, looking over at the stands. "Yes, Miss Rose?"_

 _Ruby started, shocked at being addressed by name. But before she could muster a response another, more timid voice spoke behind her._

" _Umm... if you do get it past thirty five and don't get it out... is there any hope to have Aura again?"_

 _That voice... she'd heard it before... to many times to count. Slowly, she turned her head, hardly daring to believe it. Then she saw..._ herself _._

" _In some rare cases. If it happened to, say, a child, then their Aura will get stronger as they grow older, lowering the overall effects by a small margin. There are even some rare cases where an Aura has managed to... 'shine through' these restrictions to save a person from certain dead. But those cases happened in very, very extreme situations," the teacher explained. But Ruby wasn't listening anymore._

 _There, halfway up the stands was a desk of four with four figures. Unlike the others these were real people, but she had eyes only for the silver eyed girl in the middle._

 _Ruby sucked in a breath, staring in wonder. It was..._ her _. A young, fifteen year old girl again._

 _Suddenly the world turned grey, the color draining away like water. And then it was gone, replaced by the chaos of burning warehouse. Again she felt the fear as she tugged fruitless on her old cloak. Again she felt the despair as she reached out, desperately calling her sister's name. Then pain as the crate of Dust fell upon her, drowning her in crimson crystals... then she was falling into blackness._

 _Then her eyes shot open in a panic._

 _She was... nowhere._

 _Blackness surrounded her, endless and internal. She couldn't feel her body, but she could tell that she was floating._

 _For full minute nothing happened. Then two glowing sets of eyes opened, hanging in the air before her, burning bright sliver in the darkness. One of them was a pair of sliver reptilian slits. The other was a set of four, glowing like stars in the night. They watched her carefully, then a voice spoke in the darkness._

" _This is her?" it asked in a rough baritone._

"Indeed, _" said another, rich, regal and undeniably feminine. It seemed to ripple with power as it echoed in the darkness._

" _She's a runt."_

"I never said she wasn't. _"_

" _She won't survive."_

"She will. _"_

" _She has no Aura and your sending her into this mess. What would_ they _think if they learned you sent their best bet in like this?"_

"Don't tell me you've grown a heart for the girl. This was the roll she was born into, as were you and I. And they know it too. The fact that she comes from Remnant means nothing to them. But, to keep you from fretting, know that we timed it just right to give her control of her semblance. They will be pleased. Besides, revealing her Aura this early would only complicate things. It mustn't be known of until the time is right. Many will try to take her for her semblance alone. If she is to succeed then she must be allowed to grow and mature, not be locked up. _"_

" _And her memories? You plan to take those too?"_

"I have to. Remnant contains far too many secrets for her to know just yet. And if she knew of it then the galaxy would search for it. Something we cannot allow to happen. _"_

" _I can't say I like this."_

"Have faith, Krogan. Have I ever led you astray? _"_

" _No."_

"Then trust me once again. Though her path is clouded, her destination is clear. This will end it all. _"_

" _...very well, Farseer."_

 _Suddenly, a thin, three fingered hand loomed from the darkness, gently resting on her forehead. Then the four silver eyes gazed down upon her with something resembling sympathy. "_ Tell me, Little Rose; do you believe in destiny? _"_

 _Then there was a pulling sensation, like a plug being pulled at the back of her mind. Then images, feelings, people, things she had no idea existed yet somehow knew, all of it was dragged down into darkness leaving her mind as blank as the day she'd been born._

 _Then she was falling again, slamming down into the hard ground, surrounded by the fires on Mindoir._

-Linebreak-

Ruby's eyes shot open as she gasped, sucking in air like a grounded fish, looking around in a panic.

She was lying on her back on the same bio-bed as before, the lights of the medical bay shining down upon her. To her surprise, the room was empty. Chakwas had been here only a second ago getting that... whatever it was out of her arm and then...

She shivered as she remembered the agony it had caused. How one tiny crystal could cause that she had no idea.

Pushing those thoughts aside she pushed herself into a sitting position, groaning as her body protested. She was surprisingly stiff for only being out a few moments. Then a breath of cold air washed over her, making her shiver again. Looking down she realized her shirt had been torn off leaving her covered only by her bra. Even more surprising were the wires leading over her skin connected to the thin defibrillator pads placed above her heart.

She eyed them warily for a moment, then reached across and pressed the doctor call button beside the bed. Then she waited, trying to keep as still as possible as Karin returned. She made no move to remove the pads. If there was one thing Chakwas had drilled into her, it was to never mess with medical equipment suck somewhere vital. It very well might be the only thing keeping her alive.

Less then thirty seconds passed before the med-bay door whooshed open and Chakwas rushed in, face shocked and worried.

"Down," was the only thing she said as she hurried over. Ruby flopped back down onto the bad without complaint. Then Karin was on her, pulling off the defibrillator pads and running scans. Another thirty seconds passed where they only thing to be heard was Karin's beeping omni-tool. Then, as they scans completed themselves, Karin sighed deeply. "How are you?"

"Sore," Ruby groaned. "Ugh... what happened?"

"You died."

Ruby blinked as her words processed. She looked up at the doctor, expecting it to be some kind of joke. But Chakwas' face remained as grim as a statue.

"I.. what?"

"You died," Chakwas repeated softly. "I don't know how it happened. I was pulling it out and then... everything went wrong. You started screaming and went into spasms... then you flatlined. You were medically dead for twenty five seconds before I managed to get your heart going again."

Ruby stared at her in disbelief. "I was... _dead_?"

"By all medical standards, yes," the Doctor nodded solemnly. "After I managed to bring you back you went into a coma, and have been for the last eight hours. I haven't tried to remove the crystal again. I'm afraid it really will kill you next time. Whatever that is it'll have to stay inside you for now, Council be damned."

"Eight hours," Ruby noted idly, mind racing over what had just happened, before the true implications of what that meant crashed down on her. "The Relay, shit!"

She turned to the Doctor. "How far out are we?"

"Less then an hour."

"Am I good to go?"

She pulled up her omni-tool. "I need to run a few more scans be to sure."

As she turned away, Ruby lay back down, body thrumming with impatience. She need to get out there now, the mission was about to begin and here she was on her ass. But she had just died. That warranted some caution, right?

Sighing, she forced herself to relax and let Chakwas finish. She was slightly troubled at how easy dying had been. She just... closed her eyes and then blackness. The only difference was she had woken up, that wasn't supposed to happen.

But something seemed wrong about that statement. No matter how hard Ruby thought about it, she just couldn't place it. But something at the back of her mind was screaming that she had forgotten something. Something very important.

* * *

 **Updated: March 7, 2017**


	15. Arrival

The Zhu Relay loomed in the cockpit window, growing larger with each passing second. Ruby watched it impassively as she stood behind the pilot seat. Meanwhile, Joker worked silently, fingers flying over the controls as he brought the Normandy along side the massive space station.

Ruby frowned, shrugging her shoulders. Something was off.

Grimacing, she reached under her arm and adjusted a strap on her armor. She shrugged again and nodded, satisfied when the uncomfortable tugging disappeared.

It had been a mad dash to get suited up after being released from the med-bay. Both her team and the Blackwatch had been concerned for her. After all, no can simply come back from the dead, drop into a coma, pop back up in a few hours and prep for a mission like nothing happened. She had assured them that other then a little stiffness she was just fine, and to the Lieutenant that she was still fit for duty.

While it had been a shock, coming back to life, she was perfectly fine. Physically anyway. But she couldn't shake this strange feeling she had ever since she woke up. It was like walking into a warzone and remembering that you forgot all your ammo up in space. But for the life of her, Ruby couldn't remember just what she was forgetting.

Still, she had gotten her armor on with little difficulty, strapped on her weapons and organized her rag tag group. After getting them ready for a hot drop she headed up to the cockpit to oversee the jump. So far it was uneventful.

"You okay?"

She blinked as the voice pulled her out of her thoughts and found Joker looking up at her.

"I'm fine," she replied, not unkindly. "Just a little shaken up. Nothing I can't handle."

"Wow. Died, then came back to life ready to kick ass right off the bat," the pilot grinned. "You truly are badass incarnate."

That got a snort out of her. Leave it to Joker to try and lighten the mood. "Thanks."

"But really, are you okay? I mean, that can't be easy."

She gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Joker. It wasn't that bad actually. Just blacked out then woke up a second later. I mean, out of all my near death experiences this one was the easiest... actually no... I mean, there was nothing near about it, so would it be a... _death experience_? Because if you actually die, would that be a 'near death experience' or just a 'death experience?'"

Joker looked back up at the fast approaching Relay thoughtfully. "Yeah, that would be a death experience. Though something clearly went wrong. You're still here after all. Death couldn't keep you down, huh?"

"Nope," Ruby grinned, popping the 'p'. Leave it to Joker to make her feel better.

"Great. My commanding officer is a zombie. Should I warn the crew? Or better yet, hide my brains?"

"You mean you got something up there?" Ruby joked, lightly patting his head. "I couldn't tell."

"But really, should I? You are a zombie after all."

"On Relay approach!" Pressly's voice ran from the CIC before Ruby could retort. Instantly Joker turned back to his station, guiding the vessel alongside the Relay.

"Jumping in twenty seconds," he reported.

Nodding, Ruby leaned forward and hit the intercom. "All hands, brace for Relay transfer." Her voice echoed across the ship as crewman jumped to their stations. She ran a quick checklist through her head on the various systems, then patted Joker on the shoulder when everything checked out.

"Take her away."

"Yes ma'am," he grinned, pushing the throttle forward.

Like clockwork, the Normandy pulled up along side the Relay without any issue. Then Relay's Element Zero core glowed bright, sending out bolts of blue lightning. They latched onto the vessel, caressing its frame for a single moment before propelling the ship faster then the speed of light. In that instant the Normandy vanished, reappearing in a new star system a few seconds later.

The jump was a success.

"System check!" Ruby called out, grinning broadly. The crew jumped at her command, pouring over their monitors.

"All systems green, ma'am," Pressly called back.

"Get us a scan of the system. Try and find that ship. Search for any Prothean signatures."

"Yes ma'am."

Satisfied, Ruby turned back to the cockpit window.

In the darkness of space, the sun of the solar system burned bright. It was closer then Ruby expected. Most likely the Relay was set in a tighter orbit then other systems. Beside it and eclipsing it slightly was a large black orb. It took her only a second to realize that it was a planet. A very large planet by the looks of it.

"Visual contact," Joker called out. "Feeding telemetry."

"Received," a crewman called back. "Running scans."

Minutes ticked by and the planet grew larger in the window. Just from looking at it, Ruby could tell it was bigger then Jupiter at the very least. The surface, or what she could see of it was a mass of swirling black clouds. Most likely a gas giant then. But there was something off about it. She had seen many different planets in her tour of duty, gas giants included. But none of them had looked like this. They were always hues of brown, blue and reds, not a pitch black.

"Scans complete," the same crewman said. "System analysis in. G class star, one planet, possible gas giant, no moons, and the Relay in orbit. No other bodies detected."

"Any sign of the ship yet?" Ruby asked.

"Negative."

"Alright. Joker, take us into orbit, I want-"

"Wait, contact just appeared!" the crewman exclaimed. "On the far side of the planet. Current readings suggest all systems are powered down."

"Nice job, people," Ruby called back, patting her pilot on the shoulder. "Joker, take us in, nice and quiet."

"Aye aye, ma'am."

There was another short wait, filled with the low murmur of crewman and the low hum of the ship. All the while the planet grew larger, until it filled the window with its black clouds.

Then something caught Ruby's attention. Coming up over the horizon was a brown... something. She only saw it because the color set it apart. It looked like a half of a giant, brown six pointed snowflake, floating above the surface of the gas.

"Uh, ma'am?" Pressly called up. "I... uh, think we're picking up another contact."

"You think?" Ruby asked, looking over her shoulder back to the CIC. "Come on, Pressly, what is it?"

"I don't know, ma'am. Metallurgy reading are coming back... weird. Thermal reading are barely setting it apart from that atmosphere and it's emitting no energy signatures. The only reason we found it was because the Prothean ship is docked with it."

Frowning, Ruby turned back to the window and the 'station,' which was rapidly growing larger as they approached.

"Well I'm definitely seeing something here, Pressly. Can you get me a size estimate?"

This time there was a noticeable pause before the Navigator replied. "Uh... Estimated size... Over two hundred _thousand_ square kilometers, ma'am."

A deafening silence hung over the cockpit as his words sunk in. Ruby stared in shock as the rest of the leviathan of a space station appeared. She was right, it was shaped like a six pointed snowflake. The ends of each point were tipped with a flat triangular platform. On it, she could just barely make out thousands of tiny lines cris-crossing it's surface. Tiny bumps rose from them and, if she used her imagination, she could see them as towering skyscrapers. They covered nearly the entire surface of the structure. But far more noticeable were the long jagged scars that ran across its surface, as burned with a massive laser.

"Holy shit," Joker breathed. "That thing is bigger then the Citadel."

"Yeah," Ruby nodded in awe. "And that's where we need to go. Pressly, where is the ship?"

"Somewhere near the center. We're narrowing it down as we speak."

Following his directions, Ruby looked and saw a small raised circle in the very center of the station. Under normal circumstances, she would have called the small button cute. But knowing the immense size of the station blew that thought clear out of the water.

"Alright, Joker," she said, pointing at the circle. "Find us a landing zone, as close to that as you can."

"You got it, Commander."

After relaying her orders to the rest of the crew, Ruby bolted for the cargo bay. After a minute of cussing out the long elevator she entered into the wide expanse.

The Mako was already running, sitting in front of the closed bay door. Behind it were the two Blackwatch Falcos. She rushed passed them and clambered into the open hatch of the Mako. Everyone was already in their seats, watching her eagerly as she crawled up to the front and plopped herself down in the pilot seat.

"Everyone good?" she called back while strapping herself in.

"When is the shooting gonna start?" Wrex asked from the gunners seat. "I getting bored back here."

"I'm ready, Rose," Liara said from beside her in the navigator seat. She was suited up in Ashley's spare set of Phoenix I armor and armed with only a pistol and a shotgun for emergencies. In fact, Ruby had piratically ordered her to stay in the Mako where it was safest. She wasn't a soldier, and she didn't have Tali's level of combat experience that would make Ruby trust her in a real combat scenario. So she had made it perfectly clear that until she could get some proper training under Ruby, she would stay in the Rose-mobile no matter what happened. "Though I am curious, why am I up here? I'm sure someone else would make a better navigator."

"Because something big has just happened," Ruby replied, switching on the comms. "Lieutenant, do you read me?"

" _Loud and clear, Commander,_ " Stela's voice replied. " _Awaiting your orders._ "

The Commander nodded. "Alright then, I'll make this nice and short. We found the ship docked in an orbital station above a gas giant in system. From the readings it appears to be powered down. So we're gonna board the station and find it. There's just one problem. The station is over two hundred thousand square kilometers in size."

She heard exclamations of shock over the comms from the Turians. Her team had similar reactions. Liara, on the other hand seemed giddy with excitement.

"Is the station Prothean?" she asked, eyes bright.

Ruby shrugged. "Can't tell. It's not showing up well on the scanners. Joker is going to get us as close as he can to its current location. So everyone strap in and get ready, we may be going in hot."

As if the universe was listening, Joker's voice came over the comm. " _Commander, I found you a nice good spot._ "

"Nice," she replied, gripping the wheel. "Time till drop?"

" _Now._ "

The cargo bay door groaned as it eased itself open, letting in a truly awe inspiring view.

A massive city was laid out before them. Towering skyscrapers made out a strange brownish metal rose above them, casting them in shadow. There were thousands of them, no, hundreds of thousands, piercing up into the blackness of space. The Citadel itself paled in comparison to this.

" _Now there's a sight you don't see everyday,_ " Stela said, awe filling her voice.

Ruby nodded in agreement, even though the gesture was useless when talking over comms.

Then she noticed that the Normandy had stopped completely and was hovering over the ground, the bay door making a perfect ramp down to the station's surface.

"Alright, people, let's roll out," she said, pushing down on the accelerator.

Eagerly, the Mako lept forward, driving down the ramp and onto the alien surface. Even with the new spiked grill Wrex had put on, the calibrated suspension was perfectly stable. She should get Garrus to do it more often. The Two Falcos followed close behind. When they were clear, the Normandy rose up before blasting away, vanishing into the black sky.

It had dropped them off on a wide highway cutting through the city. Well, highway would have been an understatement. The road was almost two hundred meters wide and tens of thousands of kilometers long. Countless towers rose up on either side, blocking the light of the distant sun. In the distance, they could see the round structure. If someone had called it huge Ruby would have laughed at them. It wasn't huge, it something beyond that. Reaching even higher then the skyscrapers, it was as if someone had taken the Citadel and placed it upright, smack-dab in the middle of this alright monster of a station.

Once the shock of it all had worn off, Ruby pointed towards it. "There. That's were we need to go."

Then she heard a gasping sound to her right and looked over. Liara looked to be having some sort of panic attack. Her eyes darting everywhere they could, as if the surrounding city might vanish into mist if she looked away for too long.

Ruby could help but chuckle. She was a doctor of Prothean archaeology. No doubt being in one of their cities on one of the biggest orbital stations ever discovered was a wet dream come true for her. If indeed this station was indeed Prothean.

She reached over and patted the Asari on the shoulder and she jumped, a small screech escaping her lips. When she composed herself, she met Ruby's gaze with a blush.

"I... uh... sorry," she stuttered, wringing her hands. "Its just this... this..."

She trailed off, looking out at the city with wonder. "This is beyond anything I dared to see in my lifetime."

Then her back straightened as she realized why she was in the front seat. She looked over at Ruby to see her grinning broadly, pointing to the navigational panel in front of her. Instantly she hunched over it, putting the new upgraded scanning software to good use.

As the doctor lost herself in her findings, Ruby looked over her shoulder to the rest of her team. They were all trying to look out the window, in awe of the massive city. But there was something else she needed to know.

"Hey, Tali. You fixed the FBR, right?"

"You mean, 'did I cleaned out all the crumbs?' Yes." the Quarian said irritably, after she had torn her eyes away from the sight outside.

"What's this about crumbs?" Kaidan asked.

As Tali began to share the reason behind their near death experience on Therum, Ruby pushed down on the accelerator, sending the Mako cruising smoothly down the highway. The Falcos followed after a brief second.

It soon became apparent after a few minutes of driving that, even though Joker had tried to get them as close as he could, they were still a good five kilometers away.

It was eery, driving through the remnants of the ancient city. The tens of thousands of windows on the buildings on either side were dark, revealing nothing on what was inside... or what might be watching them.

And something _was_ watching them. They could all feel it. Wrex swivelled the gun from side to side, trying to keep track of all the places they might be shot at from, clearly nervous with how exposed they were. Ruby understood his feelings perfectly.

If they were shot at here, it could take days to find the shooter with this many hiding places... or weeks. And given their position, they were uncomfortably exposed.

The only one who wasn't put off by everything was Liara, who was still hunched over the navigation station, pouring over the readings she got.

" _Commander, do you copy?_ " Joker's voice crackled over the comm as they reached the halfway point.

"I read you, Joker. What's up?" Ruby answered.

" _Well... uh..._ " the pilot stammered. " _We, uh, managed to get a good metallurgy reading with the Mako on the ground and... uh... its wood._ "

Ruby blinked. Then blinked again.

"What?" she asked incredulously. Then her face hardened. "Joker, really, this is no time for this."

" _He's right, Commander,_ " Pressly's voice spoke next. " _Its not traditional wood though. Carbon readings are off the charts, and there are a bunch of minerals and elements that we've never seen before._ _If what I'm seeing here is correct, then we're looking at a material that's stronger then starship plating..._ _and can grow, for lack of a better term_ _._ "

She blinked again, then looked down through the windshield at the road flying by. The brownish metal was smooth, devoid of rivets, seams or anything other signs that it was made of individual pieces. Almost as if it had been grown, rather then assembled.

"Well that's... weird," she said after a moment of thought. "Cool, but weird."

" _Weird?_ " Stela's voice said. " _Growable metal?_ Weird? _If someone got their hands on this stuff it could revolutionize industry._ "

"But that's a little weird, you gotta agree with me on that?"

" _...True._ "

" _Moreover,_ " Pressly continued. " _We found the ship in some sort of hangar bay near the top... or what's left of it._ "

Ruby raised an eyebrow, again, a useless gesture. "What's left? Let me guess; it crashed?"

" _Pretty much, ma'am. From what we're seeing_ _of_ _these bays, they just weren't made for Prothean ships._ "

"Crap," Ruby muttered grimly. "Any sign of the colonists?"

" _Negative. Though there is some kind of force field up around the bay, so it might be safe to say they have an atmosphere._ "

"Copy that. Keep us posted."

The trip lulled into silence from that point on. A silence that seemed to permeate the entire station.

Once more the millions of windows watched their progress, standing at silent attention in their frames. And always the feeling that they were being watched never left. But it was the strangest feeling. It didn't seem malevolent... only curious as the three vehicles rumbled along the smooth highway.

Within minutes they reached the base of the massive structure. A gigantic arch stretched across the road, reaching a hundred meters in the air at its highest point. And blocking their path was a wall made out of silver metal.

Ruby eased the Mako to a stop just before it and slipped on her helmet.

"Disembark," she ordered, crawling to the rear hatch. "Kaidan, take the wheel. Wrex, Liara, stay where you are. I want you all on stand by."

Then she and the remainder of her team crawled out out the hatch with fully sealed suits and were met by six of the Blackwatch, including Stela. Their armor, as expected was pitch black, lacking any differential markings. And with their black helmets on, it made distinguishing between them almost impossible.

Together, they moved forward towards the imposing silver barrier. But as they got closer, Ruby began to notice something odd about it.

It wasn't a solid piece of metal.

While it looked a single piece from a distance, in reality it was made up of millions of tiny hexagons, each no more then a few milometers in size. Though it was impossible to tell how thick it was.

"Solid," Stela noted as she pressed a hand against it. "Definitely metal of some kind."

"We could try and blow it open," Ashley suggested, gesturing back to the vehicles.

"If there is an atmosphere inside we want to keep it that way," Ruby replied, eyeing the wall. "Good idea though. But there's got to be another way through."

Looking from side to side, she saw that the wall reached from one side of highway to the other. There was nothing that looked like a terminal or any other way to interact with it. There wasn't even a way to get around it and off the highway.

The next few minutes were spent walking up and down its length, searching for anything that might help. None presented themselves. Soon they regrouped back at the vehicles, still as clueless as when they started.

"Nothing?" Ruby asked, coming back from the right side with her team.

Coming back from the left, Stela shook her head with a sigh. "Nothing. Whatever this thing is it's locked down tight."

They all paused for a second, staring up at the barrier, minds searching for an answer.

"So... what now?" Garrus asked.

"We keep looking," Ruby said, reaching out a hand to touch it for the first time. "Maybe there's a... secret button or something. Like in the vids. Maybe one of thes-"

Her hand made contact with the smooth, scaled metal. Instantly a shock went up her arm, paralysing her for a split second. Her vision flashed silver and her eyes burned in their sockets.

She staggered back with a strangled gasp, tripped on her own feet and fell. She blacked out the moment she hit the ground, coming back to her senses a few moments later. Everyone was clustered around her, worry evident in their posture.

She had another problem, however.

"You alright, Commander?" Garrus asked beside her as she clutched at her helmet.

"Oh...fuck," she groaned. Her eyes were watering like mad, sending a water fall of tears down her cheeks as she fought to stem the tide. Of course, being in space with a sealed helmet, that was harder then it seemed. The best she could do was claw at her visor as the pain slowly faded away.

A hand appeared in her vision. She grasped it and let herself be pulled back up onto her feet. The others were still clustered around her worriedly. She ignored them, however and glared at the wall.

It had shocked her! Just like that damn elevator back on Therum! What was with long lost alien technology and their insistence on zapping her!?

The parallels of the two events failed to register on Ruby as she growled, stomped forward and kicked at the wall with all her might.

She expected her foot to hurt, or something along those lines. On second thought it wasn't such a good idea, but the childish urge for revenge was too much to pass up on. Therefor she was taken completely off guard as her foot went _through_ the barrier like it didn't exist.

On another second thought, it might have been best if she didn't put all her strength into the kick. Without the wall to stop her armored boot it went up higher then she expected and she slipped on the smooth ground yet again. She tumbling to the ground with a curse where she lay eagle-spread, staring up at the black sky.

"You've got to be kidding me," she groaned. Then, after a brief moment of self pity, she pushed herself up into a sitting position and glared at the wall yet again.

Then she saw her foot... or rather the lack thereof.

Her foot had gone clean through the barrier, making it look like it had been cut off near her ankle. For a single terrifying moment, she was afraid that she had lost it. But as she jerked back in shock, her foot pulled out as well. The barrier remained as unchanged as ever.

Ruby crawled to her feet, mind reeling at what just happened. The others gathered around her shared her shook.

Then, after a minute of hesitation, Ruby slowly stretched out her hand and touched the silver metal again.

As soon as her palm made contact, the millions of hexagons that made up its surface parted as she pushed against it, letting her hand pass through, only to reform around its edges, keeping a tight seal. She pushed on until her arm up to the elbow was through.

"Wow," she breathed, marvelling at the silver metal as it rippled around her.

"That's... one way of putting it," Stela said nervously. She put her own hand against the barrier, then instantly jumped back as it parted for her as well.

Ruby cast her a glance, then turned back, thinking hard.

They had to go through this, it was the only way to go. But what was on the other side? And how did it open? Again, like on Therum, a mere touch from her caused ancient technology to activate.

A pit formed in her gut as the words of Valern echoed in her mind. That she was a Prothean weapon of some kind. The she was made, not born. What did it all mean?

Pushing her worries aside she steeled herself, took a deep breath, then stepped through the silver barrier.

It was... anti-climatic to say the least. One second she was looking at the silver metal and the next she was standing in a towering antechamber. It seemed as though the highway ended at this point. The antechamber was a rough half circle, with the silver barrier making up the flat side. Opposite it was a large tunnel that led deeper into the building. Though it was nowhere near as big, it was still wide enough for the three vehicles to drive side by side and still have room to spare.

But that took second place in her mind as Ruby looked around in wonder.

The wall of the antechamber was ribbed in such a way that seemed impossible for mere human engineering, arching up to the ceiling. In the center where the ribs met, a brilliant crystal chandelier hung down, bathing the room in a soft yellow light.

When Ruby looked closer, she realized that the light it gave had no source, like a bulb or emitter. But rather the light seemed to come from the crystals themselves.

It was... beautiful. No one, not even the Asari could ever come close to this level of skill in engineering. It was practical, simple in its design, yet every curve in the metal seemed like a work of art, molded out of the metal.

Ruby continued to stare around in awe until a sound from behind jolted her back to awareness.

Someone else was pushing through the barrier. The silver scales rippled then parted to let pass a black, three fingered armored gantlet. Then the rest of the body followed and Stela stepped through. She shuddered as the barrier closed behind her.

"That's..." she gasped, whirling around to stare at the now unbroken barrier, trying to find the right words.

"Amazing?" Ruby suggested.

The Turian considered it for a moment, then shrugged, turning back. "I guess. What the Hierarchy wouldn't give to... wow..." she trailed off as she beheld the interior, eyes widening behind her visor. "Now there's a sight you don't see every day," she said quietly.

"Yeah," Ruby agreed.

More sounds came from the barrier as the others pushed their way through. The five other Blackwatch stormed through, weapons at the ready, only to stop and look around in wonder. They were followed quickly by Ruby's team. Then to her surprise, the spiked fender of the Mako pushed its way through, followed quickly by the Falcos.

Before they could regroup a loud squeal echoed over the radio, followed by a dull thump and a groan.

Immediately, Ruby assumed the worst.

"Everyone sound off!" she shouted, reaching for her pistol.

" _Don't worry, Commander,_ " Kaidan said from inside the Mako. " _That was Liara. She, uh... fainted._ "

"Fainted?" Ruby repeated incredulously. Then she looked around at the ancient architecture around them and reconsidered. "Actually I'm not really surprised at this point."

" _Yeah. You should have seen her when you walked through that... thing._ "

" _It was annoying,_ " Wrex spoke up. " _Why do they have to squeal all the time?_ "

"It was all over comms," Stela groused. "I wouldn't be surprised if the Normandy heard it."

Ruby chuckled at that. Then a more disturbing thought occurred to her. If Liara had screamed over comms and everyone heard it... why didn't she?

A pit forming in her stomach, she activated her radio. "Normandy, do you read?"

Not even static came back. They were cut off from the outside word.

Stela pointed to one of her men, then to the silver barrier. "Get back out there and tell them what happened."

The black armored Turian nodded silently, then turned and started running. Everything was going as planned, until the barrier decided that it was no longer taking admissions. The Turian slammed into the silver metal face first. Ruby winced as he rebounded off, collapsing to the ground with a groan.

Everyone rushed to his side and he clutched his at his helmet.

As the Blackwatch medic started examining the injured man, Tali stepped forward and pressed her hand against the metal. It was a solid as it was before.

"That's not good," Garrus noted.

Tali nodded gravely, pulling up her omni-tool and running it over the metal.

"Incredible," she breathed out as the results of her scan came back. "I... I haven't seen anything like this."

"Can you get it open?" Ruby asked from beside her.

"I doubt it. Its registering as a solid piece." She pointed to one of the tiny hexagons. "By all due rights, these don't exist."

"So we're stuck in here," Ashley summarized. "Perfect."

Tali started to nod, then her head snapped up and she looked at Ruby. "What did you do?"

"Uh, what?" Ruby asked awkwardly.

"You got it open," Tali said excitedly. "What did you do?"

"I, uh," she stammered, aware that all eyes had turned to face her. "I just... touched it."

"Touch it again."

"Because that's always a good idea," Ruby muttered to herself, but reached out all the same.

The tip of her finger made contact and she winced, expecting the same massive shock. But nothing happened. A slight ripple of light passed over the barrier, as if responding to her touch, but beyond that nothing. Emboldened, she put her hand against it and pushed.

The metal remained as solid as ever, not giving an inch.

"I-its not working," Tali stammered. No doubt the thought of being locked inside an unknown alien building put her own edge. "Why isn't it working?"

"Why are you asking me?" Ruby replied, pulling back.

"Well, you opened it!"

"By accident!" Ruby protested. "You think I like getting zapped by alien shit?"

"But why?" Ashley spoke up. Her words weren't accusing, but demanded an answer. "First on Therum and now here. Why is all this stuff responding to you?"

Ruby sighed deeply, trying to massage her face through the helmet. "I wish I knew, Ash. I really do."

" _So what now?_ " Kaidan asked.

"The only thing we can do," Ruby said, straightening herself and turning to the open tunnel on the far side of the chamber. "We go on. Unless there are any objections?"

"Short of being stuck in here, no," Stela said, pulling her fallen teammate to his feet. "But what choice do we have?"

"My thoughts exactly," Ruby replied, drawing Crescent Rose in rifle form and cautiously walking towards the entrance. The others followed with the vehicles trailing close behind.

The tunnel beyond the entrance arch was just as elaborately made as the antechamber. Ribbed walls arched up to the ceiling, making the whole length seem like the ribcage of a giant beast. Every dozen meters a crystal chandelier hung from an elaborate socket in the ceiling. It was a darker light these one let out, casting the tunnel in an eery yellow light that contrasted greatly with the brown metal walls. And set into the walls were alcoves that appeared at regular intervals. In each one was a large pedestal. Aside from that, every alcove they passed was empty.

It set them all on edge. Still they kept on walking, heading deeper into the depths of the structure. The silence was crushing, as if daring anyone to brake it.

They must have gone on for kilometers, the unchanging walls blurring time around them, until Stela gave a shout and raised her rifle. Everyone snapped into action, pointing their weapons and turrets at one of the alcoves further down.

 _Someone_ was in there.

They advanced slowly, weapons primed and trained on the alcove as they approached. But when they got there, they realized it wasn't a person at all, but a life sized statue of some colossal being, carved out a smooth grey stone.

"Spirits," Garrus breathed in wonder.

It was tall, taller then even a Krogan, with thick trunk like arms and legs and sporting four fingers on each hand. It wore armor of the most exquisite make, thicker than anything Ruby had ever seen. And in its hands was one of the largest hand cannons ever. Even as a pistol its barrel was still large enough to fit her fist into.

Its head was left bare, revealing a ridged, bony exo-skeleton. Its mouth was cross shaped, utterly alien in its expression, but emanated a stern calm that permeated the alcove.

Buts its eyes.

Instead of stone, the three eye sockets had appeared to have been hollowed out and replaced with three gleaming orbs of sliver. They had no iris and seemed to glow beneath the dull yellow light.

A shiver went down Ruby's spine as her own silver eyes met the gleaming orbs. They seemed to stare straight at her, as if judging her very action.

Then her eyes trailed down to the foot of the statue and saw the second item in the alcove.

A sarcophagus, large enough to hold the body of the being carved before them.

With a sense of reverence, Ruby stepped forward and examined the massive coffin. Its sides were carved with lines of alien text, inconsiderable, yet somehow relaying their purpose to all: The story of his life and how he had died.

Even though she knew nothing of the language, Ruby understood who this being was. He was warrior, honourable, loyal, unmatched in skill and died fighting for what he believed. And even in death, his body, buried here, demanded respect.

Ruby stepped back, retreating back to the others, still staring up in awe at the statue.

" _Doesn't he look tough,_ " Wrex said over comms.

Ruby nodded, still staring at the sarcophagus and the dead being it contained.

It would be so easy to get a sample, she realized. The body of an unknown alien race, possibly older then the Protheans themselves was right here before them. The Citadel Council would kill for a sample of its DNA.

But something inside of her rejected that idea in an instant. This place was not to be disturbed. The dead had earned their rest.

"More of them," Ashley said, pointing up ahead.

Following her finger, Ruby saw that she was right. From this point on, every alcove was filled with a statue... remembering a long forgotten warrior.

"Its a giant tomb," Stela said quietly, summarizing everything perfectly.

Those four words seemed to drop a weight on their shoulders. It was that same feeling Ruby used to get when she went to memorials or gravesides of famous people. The very air seemed to respect their passing. Here... that same feeling crushed them under its iron weight. Those who were buried here were something far more then the usual stock of the galaxy.

It was with no small amount of trepidation that Ruby continued on, the others falling in line behind her.

For another hour they walked in silence, passing thousands of statues. They contained beings of every conceivable kind, from bipedal to quadrupedal, smooth flesh to hard scales, claws to tentacles. But no matter how strange the body, they all had at least one gleaming silver eye that watched them on their journey.

But there were a few variations between them all. Most had a sarcophagus resting below the statue. But some of them had their lids open, revealing an empty casket. Maybe the bodies of those hadn't been recovered, but were confirmed dead. Others still didn't have a sarcophagus at all. Instead, these alcoves had a single glass case in which rested a piece of armor, either a pair of gantlets, a chest piece or something else. In one, Ruby saw a whole set of armor, though it was made for an internally different species.

A relic, maybe? Ruby didn't know.

But there were just so many. Already she was sure they had passed more then a thousand filled alcoves and still the tunnel stretched on holding thousands more.

She felt... small. Like a child in the presence of a giant. But it was something more then that, something she had a hard time placing. She felt... a connection of sorts with them all. Their silver orbs bored into her, making shiver. And yet, they seemed to accept her. As though her own silver eyes connected them in some way.

 _You came._

She jumped, snapping her pistol up as the voice echoed around her. It was a light and feminine, sounding almost like a young teen.

The others followed her example, scanning the area with drawn weapons.

"What is it, Commander?" Stela asked, sparing her a glance. Her voice seemed unnaturally loud in the crushing silence of the massive tomb.

"I don't know," Ruby replied after a moment of listening. "Just I thought I heard something."

 _You did hear something. Me._

She whirled around as the voice spoke again. It sounded like it was all around her and yet not.

"There! Did you hear it?" she demanded.

The others all looked at each other in confusion.

"No," Garrus said slowly, looking around. "But in a place like this you could start to imagine things, I guess."

"I'm not imagining things!" Ruby cried. "I definitely-"

 _You came_ , the voice spoke again. _I never dared to hope that one of your kind would come this soon._

"See! There it is again!" Ruby shouted, pointing to the ceiling for lack of a better direction. "You can't hear it?"

They all slowly shook their heads, watching her carefully.

Ruby threw up her arms in exasperation. "Great. I'm going crazy then. Hearing voices in my head. Perfect!"

 _You are not going crazy_ , the voice assured her, sounding amused. _One moment, please._

"Are you alright, Commander?" Ashley asked worriedly. "Maybe this place is getting to you-"

" _Ah, there we go,_ " the same voice from before spoke, only this time it echoed down the tunnel, booming in the silence.

This time everyone did hear it. They jumped, weapons primed once again as they looked around, trying to find the source.

" _I apologize for contacting you directly, Silver eyes,_ " the voice continued. " _But the connection to the station is not what it used to be._ "

Silence reigned. The others glancing around, as if questioning their own sanity.

"Okay..." Ruby murmured. "You guys heard that too?"

"Oh yes," Tali replied nervously. "Now we're all going crazy."

" _I can assure you all that you are not losing your minds. I am very much real,_ " the voice said. " _Though your presence took me off guard. No one has set foot in the Crypt for hundreds of thousands of years._ "

"Hundreds of thousands..." Tali murmured, trailing off into silence as the true implications of those words set in. "You mean... this place wasn't made by the Protheans?"

" _Who_?"

Its answer took them all off guard.

"Th-the Protheans," she Quarian stammered. "They, uh, lived in the galaxy fifty thousand years ago."

" _Ah yes, them,_ " the voice said sadly. " _I remember them now._ _They studied my predecessor on one of their planets._ _I presume their cycle_ _is_ _long since_ _over_ _?_ "

"I... guess," Ruby replied hesitantly.

" _Then there is nothing more to be done then remember their passing. But why are you here? What purpose do you have?_ "

"We're here looking for the people of a lost colony," Ruby answered. "We found their ship dock higher up."

" _Oh, them!_ " the voice said, audibly brightening. " _They warned me that your people might send a search party. But fear not. Your people are not in any danger, nor were they harmed. They came with me willingly to escape the Reaper's purge._ "

"They warned you of us?" Stela questioned suspiciously. "What's that supposed to mean?"

" _We made a deal. They were bound by the contact of they company that commissioned the colony. I simply offered them a new one. Their service to me, in exchange for a new home, protection_ _and freedom_ _._ "

"And what are you exactly?" Stela demanded, as if channelling everyone's thoughts.

" _Your fears are well founded, Turian. However, let me assure you that I am no Artificial Intelligence. I am something_ _far_ _more then that. Your people trust me, after I showed them my true form._ _But I understand that you all have many questions, and here is not the place to ask them. Please continued down the hall. You will find a lift at the end which will take you to me. I would recommend you return to your transports. Its still a few kilometers away._ "

Then the voice's presence shifted, focusing entirely on Ruby. " _We have much to discus, Silver eyes._ _It has been too long since one of your kind roamed these halls._ "

Then a ripple seemed to go through the air and the voice trailed off, leaving them in stunned silence.

"Well... that was something," Ruby said at length, looking up at the ceiling. When no one responded, she waved them all back to the vehicles.

They got in without a word before driving on through the tunnel. Though this time Ruby let Kaidan take the wheel, taking a seat in the back in between Garrus and Tali.. She felt that she could trust him with her ride this once. She idly noticed that Liara hadn't stirred from her overload induced faint.

Oh well, it was her loss.

Then her thoughts turned inward, mulling over what had just transpired. Most notably was the fact that this whole place existed hundreds of thousands of years before the Protheans, if the voice was to be believed.

She had always known that the Protheans were ancient, but to find something that predated even them? The Citadel Council would go nuts over this place.

And the statues... tens of thousands of them. All of countless unknown species... and yet they were all buried here, as if they were heroes of a long forgotten age. There were just so many, and this was only one tunnel. It seemed impossible that so many of them could live at the same time.

Or did they?

The Protheans were wiped out fifty thousand years ago, was it too much to believe that these beings had come before them, and even more before them? It was mind boggling.

But that wasn't the pressing issue. The colonists were here and they were safe... if that thing was to be believed. If it was lying to them then it was just another problem to be dealt with. A problem, no doubt her extended team could handle. And just maybe it would know what Saren had been after on Feros.

Ruby sighed, resting her head against the back wall.

She didn't trust this thing, and she was sure the others shared her sentiment. The fact that it said it _wasn't_ an AI didn't allay their fears. Either it was telling the truth and was something far worse or it was AI that was capable of lying. She didn't know what was worse.

Still, it was the only chance they had. They were locked in here with only one way out: its way. They needed to be ready for anything.

Then another thought occurred to her, sending a fresh trill of apprehension down her spine.

"Hey guys?" she asked nervously, looking around. "How did it know the color of my eyes?"

No one had a good answer, and the cabin trailed off into silence, broken only by the rumble of the Mako's engines.

For minutes they drove on like that until Kaidan slowed down before finally stopping.

After getting out, Ruby found herself in a circular chamber in what she could only assume was the very center of the Crypt. Around its edge five more tunnels branched off, each one holding thousands of more statues. In the very middle was a large round plate of dark grey metal, clearly defined against the dull brown around it.

But the thing that took her breath away was the ceiling, or rather the lack of it. It was so high that she had no hope of ever seeing it. Instead, countless other levels of tunnel and statues stretched up to unknown heights.

" _Please step onto the platform,_ " the voice spoke up suddenly, startling them all. " _The journey may take some time. But I promise you that all your questions will be_ _answered._ "

After a moment of hesitation, Ruby waved the vehicles forward and they settled themselves on the grey platform. Even with their size the platform was still large enough to hold all three with ease. Then the others stepped on.

As soon as their feet left the brown metal the platform shuddered before descending into the ground. Soon the floor was far above their heads, casting them in shadow as they descended faster and faster.

"How far do you think this goes?" Stela asked after a minute of quiet.

"No idea," Ruby replied. "But it can't be far. How thick can this station be?"

Suddenly light erupted around them, blinding them for a few seconds. When they recovered they were all stunned at what they saw.

The platform was inside a tube of some clear material, guiding them downward. Below them, the black clouds of the gas giant grew closer every second. Above them, the massive station was growing further and further away as the platform continued down at a furious clip.

They all watched with appreciation as the clouds rushed up to meet them. Then they were cast into darkness as the swirling gases engulfed them. And still they went down, never slowing for a moment.

Then after a few second, they breached the underside of the clouds. What they saw took their break away and left them speechless.

It wasn't a gas giant, not even close.

A massive city lay below them. The surface of the planet was completely covered with it. Towering skyscrapers reached up to the heavens and endless miles roads connected everything in a sprawling maze.

And everything was burning.

Fires raged everywhere, engulfing the city in choking black smoke. Great scars crisscrossed the surface, evidence of the countless bombardments the city had endured.

Will a sinking feeling Ruby realized that what they had mistook for clouds was actually smoke from the endless fires below. It wasn't a gas giant at all.

" _Look well, Silver eyes,_ " said the voice, echoing around them in the tube. " _This is the price we pay for resisting fate. Billions of souls were lost were lost that day, hundreds of thousands of years ago. And still the fires of our failure burns. The Reapers took our fortress, killed our people and burned our cities. But they could not take away that which we held most dear. Do you know what that it?_ "

Ruby shook her head, still gazing upon the city with horror and awe. The ground was rising up to meet them and still they weren't slowing.

" _Hope._ "

Then the ground rush up to meet them, engulfing them in darkness.

-Linebreak-

The Geth knew well enough by now that Saren was not to be approched without good reason. His fits of rage often ended up costing them dozens of combat platforms as he torn them apart with his bare hands.

Such boughs were brought on by failures his underlings reported. So they wisely chose to withdraw all their units from the throne room when they learned that Commander Rose had entered the unknown Relay unopposed. They hadn't gotten their fleet their in time to intersept her, and now they were surely going to pay the price.

But Saren just sat on his throne, a blank look on his face as he processed these events.

But of course, Saren was just a puppet for his master, reflecting his mood. And Sovereign was... conflicted.

He knew he should have been angry at the Geth for letting this happen... but then again, they let this happen.

This was a very unique opportunity, one that he could never thought would happen: She was trapped.

When the Thorian had escaped he thought it would simply relocate to another unknown planet. But he was surprised when it didn't. Instead it went through _that_ Relay.

The Reapers build the Relays, so they knew every single one, their location and how much traffic passed through them. So imagine their surprise when they learned of a completely new Relay, one that they didn't build, separate from the relay network.

That Relay had led to the Thorian homework. It had also led to the fortress. A massive, city covered planet with the sole purpose of resistance against the Reapers.

That battle was one of the most costly ever fought on both sides. The defenders were completely annihilated and the Reapers razed their planet to the ground, rendering the Thorian species dead with it. But they didn't escape unscathed. Tens of thousands of their kind had been lost. And when they withdrew to complete the current cycle they destroyed the Relay too, so that none could find that cursed place ever again.

So why was this Relay, the very one they destroyed, still here?

Someone had rebuilt it. Or had it even been destroyed in the first place?

He quickly reviewed the records the Reapers kept on the situation.

Yes. The matter had been taken care of by two other Reapers while the rest went off to continue the cycle. Those very same Reapers were destroyed in another fight and never returned to dark space. But the Relay had been destroyed... hadn't it?

Either way, questioning the past wouldn't get him anywhere. It was here and he needed to do something about it.

He could have just destroyed it, trapping her on the other side. But that was too much of a risk.

The Commander was a Silver Eyed Warrior, and that fortress was built by them. She might find a way to escape.

No. He need to see her dead body at his feet before he would even think of that.

There was one good thing to this however: She was cornered. One way in, one way out. If she tried to run, he would be here waiting.

Such an opportunity. He couldn't have asked for better.

But now he needed to send someone in after her. He wouldn't trust the Geth with a task like that. Fortanity he had something else he could use. His cloning facilities on Virmire hadn't been sitting idly all this time. But then he had changed his mind on what they were making. Why make a mindless army of Krogan clones that were just as susceptible to failure as another mortal when he could make something better?

And he just might send in another Avatar, just to make sure.

A dark grin came over Saren's face as he called over one of the nearby Geth. It approached him warily and awaited his command.

Saren's grin grew even wider.

"Send in the Krogan."

* * *

 **Updated: March 16, 2017**


	16. A Warm Welcome

Ruby had no idea what to expect once they hit the ground. A swift death as they hit at near terminal velocity, sure. But for some reason it never occurred to her that the lift would go down even further. So she was surprise when it plunged beneath the burning city and continued on down through the ground, deeper into the crust of the planet and once again casting them into darkness.

"Anyone read 'Journey to the Center of the Earth' by Jules Verne?" she asked.

In the darkness around her came various sounds of negative.

"Me neither, but I doubt it was as easy as this."

Suddenly light erupted around them, blinding them. When they recovered they were speechless, struck dumb by the sights around them.

They had dropped down under the crust of the planet into an enormous cavern. But as she looked around, Ruby realized that enormous was barely the word to describe it. The ceiling was almost five kilometers high, held up with giant stone columns, each one half a kilometer thick. It stretched on to the horizon in all directions, mixing strangely with the ceiling as it curved with the planet.

But it was the cavern floor that really took her breath away.

A vast forest was spread out beneath them, rapidly approaching as the platform dropped. Thousands of different kinds of trees and plants covered the ground, reaching hundreds of meters into the air. In the far distance she could see a break in the forest, replaced with fields of some kind of wavy grass. The whole area was lit in a soft yellow glow. When she looked up to see where it came from, Ruby saw that the ceiling was covered in a sea of yellow crystals, perfectly simulating sunlight.

It was surreal, and that was after she had seen a giant space station and a planet sized city.

And yet for some strange reason the crystals seemed... familiar, somehow.

"Commander," Ashley said, pointing below them.

Ruby followed her finger and looked down.

Coming up to meet them was a complex of sorts set up in a clear section of forest. From the air it seemed small, but from this height the buildings must have been huge. They were set up around a large courtyard, and to Ruby's delight she see could see a dozen tiny figures milling around.

"Someone is alive at least," she murmured to herself. Then she turned her attention back to the buildings. "Gives off a homely feel, doesn't it?"

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Garrus replied as more details of the buildings came into view. "It looks like more like a fortress then anything else."

Indeed it did. Around the roofs of each building were battlements and parapets, reminiscent of ancient times, yet no less effective as cover. The only modern addition were the dozens of gun emplacements, each one of an ancient design.

And each one was pointing at them.

"And now the feeling is gone," Ruby muttered, readying Crescent Rose.

The platform continued to drop, now only a few hundred meters above one of the buildings. They all readied their weapons and the vehicles cycled the heat syncs of the cannons. Then together they settled down into a crouch, weapons primed.

"Remember," Ruby said as the platform started slowing, dropped down through the roof. "Do not fire unless fired upon. Let me do the talking."

Silence was her answer, but she could feel their affirmative.

They finally dropped down through the ceiling of the building. The interior was the same style as the Crypt above them on the station. Ribbed walls and high arches in the ceiling. Tall windows decorated the walls, letting in the soft yellow light from above.

But Ruby and her team only had eyes for the ten armored guards that waited for them on the ground.

Finally the platform slowed to a crawl, then stopped when it was level with the floor. The clear tube that had kept them in place seemed to vanish and the guards moved. From their body shape, Ruby could tell they were human, though the armor was completely unfamiliar. Made of a pitch black body suit, full skull faced helmets and covered strange plates that looked almost like bone.

But that was merely an afterthought as the guards raised an assortment of weapons, levelling them at the squad.

Calmly, Ruby sighted up the lead figure in his center mass. She could feel the others do likewise, each one picking a target.

Despite the tense atmosphere, an unnatural calm had settled over everything. Guns may have been pointed, but there was a lack of hostility in the air. Ruby could feel that no one wanted to shoot each other, but she wasn't going to risk the safety of her team over a feeling.

Before the situation could grow even more tense, a voice rang out over the silence.

"Please, stand down. We are not your enemy, nor are they ours."

The guards slowly lowered their weapons and parted to let another figure pass between them.

For a moment, Ruby mistook her for an Asari. It certainly fit the shapely figure stepped towards them with all the grace of a dancer. She wore a long, white satin dress that trailed behind her, accenting her figure and green skin perfectly. Though Ruby hadn't the slightest clue of how to guess an Asari's age, she felt that this one couldn't be more than a few decades old. But as she looked into her eyes she saw the weary light of wisdom shining behind them, like that of a weary Matriarch. But never before had she heard of an Asari having green skin before.

The green Asari stopped before them and spread her arms wide, a broad smile on her face.

"Welcome, Silver Eyes and friends. Gaia breathes a sigh of relief at your return. No longer is it defenceless."

Ruby instantly recognized her voice as the one they heard on the station. And it had been right about one thing: She definitely wasn't an AI.

Cautiously, Ruby lowered Crescent Rose and motioned for the others to do the same. Then she stood.

"I'm Commander Ruby Rose. I would shake your hand, but given the welcoming committee I think I'll keep my distance."

"I understand," The not-Asari gave a graceful nod. "But you must agree that it is foolishness to leave the gates unguarded."

"Well, you got me there," Ruby said, glancing at the guards. "I take it you're the colonists?"

"Yes ma'am," the closest one said, straightening.

"You being treated alright here?"

"Never better, Commander," he said without hesitation. "This place, it's... it's better then we ever could have imagined."

Ruby eyed the green Asari suspiciously. "Is that so? And who, or what, are you exactly?"

"I am the New Growth of the Thorian," she said, giving a deep bow. "And it is an honor to serve your kind once again, Silver Eyes."

"New Growth, huh? And what's that supposed to mean?"

The not-Asari smiled. "All questions will be answered in time. However, this is neither the time or place. Please, follow me."

With that she turned and walked away with an unnatural grace, almost sliding along the ground. The guards followed her, leaving Ruby and her companions standing on the platform.

"It certainly doesn't feel like a trap," Stela noted, keeping her rifling in her arms.

Ruby nodded, stepping off the platform and following. "Yeah. Still, stay frosty everyone."

Taking her example to heart, they followed the retreating group with a clomp of boots and the rumbling of the vehicle's engines.

The not-Asari, or rather the New Growth, was approaching a vast door in the wall, which slid upward as she drew near, letting in a wash of artificial sunlight.

The courtyard lay beyond, and despite everything she'd seen so far Ruby couldn't help but be impressed yet again.

Instead of being made of unbroken metal plates, grey paving stones covered the forest floor, each one perfectly level. The buildings around it were made of high walls and towers, just like a modern castle. There were no visible windows, but she had no doubt they were there. A sniper could be waiting in each one, just waiting to take the head off a target. Along the battlements she could see dozens of machine guns pointing out and the long barrels of AA guns pointing up to the sky. Connecting each building was a high wall, blocking entrance to anyone on the ground.

A low whistle came over the radio.

" _Looks like someone's ready for a fight,_ " Wrex said, slightly awed at the sight.

In the very center of the courtyard was another statue, far larger then the ones up in the Crypt. Two cloaked figures stood back to back, their forms hidden by the cloth that hung across their frames. One held a rapier, elegant in its design with a strange cylinder near the grip while the other carried a massive broad sword, its tip stabbed into the ground. Their cloaked heads were tilted downwards, as if ashamed, hiding their faces from view. But there was no sarcophagus at their feet, like back in the Crypt.

The statues gave off a foreboding presence, as if languishing in guilt.

Compared to the two statues the buildings around them might as well have been bright and cheerful, despite their intimidating appearance.

The guards all dispersed, walking away to different buildings, but the New Growth continued onward towards a vast cathedral like structure on the far end of the courtyard. A high steeple rose from its arched roof, filled with dark alcoves and slits where a single sniper could hide with ease and cover the whole area quiet easily.

As she approached two massive doors at its front, Ruby looked on in wonder at the work of art layed out before her. The surface of the doors was beautifully engraved with the image of a great battle. On one side dozens of figures, all with silver eyes and holding strange and unfamiliar weapons charged the army on the other side, a snarling mass of chaos, claws and sinister forms. And above them, baring testament to their battle was a shapeless mass, a nameless horror.

A shiver went down her spine.

This was the Reaper war.

Or one of them, if the cycle of extinction was to be believed.

The New Growth stopped before the door and turned.

"This is where you come alone, Silver Eyes. I apologize, but there are secrets inside that are forbidden to others."

"But what makes me so special?" Ruby demanded, tearing her eyes away from the engraved door. "You've been calling me 'Silver eyes,' but what does that even mean?"

The New Growth opened its mouth to respond, then paused, closing it again as she examined Ruby closely. A single eyeridge went up, then back down as a confused frown crossed her lips.

"You know nothing of your heritage?" she asked in disbelief.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"When I asked the colonists about you they said that you had awoken your power. And yet... you know nothing."

She bowed deeply. "My most sincere apologizes, Silver Eyes. Had I known when you were back in the Crypt I would have been more forthcoming."

"Its alright... I guess," Ruby said. "But what are you talking about? What do my eyes have to do with it?"

Behind the New Growth, the giant doors opened inward silently revealing darkness beyond.

"Everything," the green Asari said, then turned and hurried through the doors. "You will follow me, alone."

Then she vanished into the gloom beyond.

Swallowing, Ruby holstered Crescent Rose and took up her pistol instead. Then she turned to the others.

"Wait here. Ask around and see if the colonists are alright. If you find anything suspicious, contact me."

They all gave an affirmative.

Satisfied, Ruby turned back to the massive doors, took a deep breath and walked through. The moment she passed the threshold the two doors silently swung shut, closing with a loud thud and casting her into utter blackness.

-Linebreak-

If Garrus Vakarian had ever told his father a year ago that he'd be serving aboard a Council Spectre ship, a human ship no less, helping to hunt down another rouge Spectre, the older Turian would have slapped him, told him to lay off whatever drugs he was swiping from the evidence room, then quickly disown him.

But here he was, and the once lowly C-Sec officer still felt like he was dreaming. It seemed impossible that the nightmare of an investigation into Saren had turned into this. When he had first seen Commander Rose outside the Executor's office he never imagined that it would evolve into a mad hunt for the rouge Spectre to save the galaxy, fighting horrors that seemed to crawl up from the underworld.

And Garrus was loving every second of it.

The mere thought that he might have been left behind in C-Sec sent shivers down his spine. He had only gone to the Executor that day on a whim, a hope of a hope that the man would listen and extend the time of his investigation.

But he hadn't, and he met Rose instead.

Of course there was no officer in C-Sec who didn't know of her. The so-called 'coffee prank of 72' made sure of that. But beyond her name, face and deeds, barely anyone knew anything about her. There were always rumours, of course, but nothing solid enough to call facts about her past. The only certain thing anyone knew about her was that she had a mysterious power and the Council was desperate to figure it out.

Now that he was serving with her, Garrus felt his lack of knowledge manifest itself into a hard ball of worry in his gut.

When he had first boarded the Normandy he had tried to look into her service record, but the thing was locked down tight. Of course, if the rumours were true, that was probably for the best. Agaus had always been a hot topic of conversation in C-Sec because another officer had family there. When they heard that Rose had saved the colony but no survivors came back, people got suspicious.

When asked, the Alliance only said that pirates had raided Agaus, either killing or enslaving everyone and that Rose had came in and saved the colony. It made no sense, but it was the story the Alliance ran on.

The mystery only deepened one day when customs reported that Rose had come back to the Citadel to see the Consort. The officers that saw her afterwards said that they couldn't recognize the woman from before. They said that she looked broken, in more ways then one.

And so the mystery was left to stir, the Alliance offering nothing to ease the rumours.

Personally, Garrus thought they should just come out with it. Rose was a symbol now, the first Human Spectre. If a scandal came out now it could ruin everything for her, no matter how small or large it may be.

Now that he was on the same ship as her, his detective instincts had taken hold. He had been watching her like a hawk, trying to unravel her mysteries, whatever they may be. After being with her for some time now, he could see the pain behind her eyes. He noticed the way she would reach for her shoulder whenever mention of her past exploits popped up and she tried to be happy, hiding a guilt that hung over her like a cloud.

It was then that Garrus had let his little investigation streak fade out. If she wanted to talk about what happened then he would gladly listen. Until then, her secrets were hers to keep.

But now he was desperate to know more. No one was just welcomed in by an unknown species everyday. But that would have to wait, for now there were more important things to take care of.

And that was where Garrus found himself, crawling inside the Mako, or the _Rose-mobile_ , to rouse the sleeping Liara T'soni.

When he got up to the front she was still there, slumped back in the navigator seat, a dreamy smile on her face and a small trail of drool hanging out of her mouth.

He chuckled at the sight, then nudged her shoulder.

The Asari awoke with a start, eyes snapping open and locking onto Garrus.

"Rise and shine, doctor," he said. "Sleep well?"

"I, uh..." she stammered, the yawned. "What happened?"

Garrus smirked. "You fainted."

"I did?"

He nodded and Liara blushed. "Well, it is an amazing place. I never dreamed that something like this could exist."

Garrus's smirk grew wider as he crawled back out. "Believe me, you haven't seen anything yet."

The Asari frowned, then unbuckled herself and followed, completely forgetting to look out the window. When she did make it out her jaw dropped and her eyes opened so wide Garrus was sure they were going to pop out.

"W-what?" she stammered, slowly turning to take in each massive building. "H-h-how?"

Then her gaze trailed up to look at the rocky ceiling towering high above them. She blinked once, then her eyes rolled up into the back of her head and fainted again with a soft moan. Garrus caught her before she could fall. It was amusing, but now he had another problem.

The others of Ruby's team had spread out, examining whatever took their fancy. Ashley and Kaidan stuck together, warily watching the battlements around them and talking with anyone who drew near. Clearly they didn't trust their host. Tali was rushing around, waving her omni-tool at anything that looked like tech and watching the results eagerly. Then she ran up to one of the armored men who had welcomed them and started asking a thousand questions a minute. He didn't seem to mind, much to Garrus' relief. Stela and the rest of the Blackwatch had spread out, adopting a hidden formation, covering each other closely but spread out enough to not raise suspicion. The guards, standing on the outskirts of the plaza watched them closely.

And Wrex... Wrex had been acting odd ever since they arrived here. Ruby hadn't seen it, but Garrus certainly did. Now the Krogan Battlemaster stood at the foot of the massive statue, staring up at the two figures.

Giving him one last look, Garrus lifted the snoozing Asari into his arms and headed over.

"Vakarian," Wrex grunted as he pulled up beside him.

"Wrex," Garrus nodded in return.

Then the Krogan saw the sleeping Asari. "What's wrong with her?"

"Fainted. Again."

"Couldn't handle it, huh? Typical." He looked back up at the statues, a strange expression on his face.

"Impressive, don't you think?" Garrus asked after an awkward moment of silence, looking up himself. "Makes you wonder who they were."

"I've seen this before."

Garrus looked over at the Battlemaster and noticed that his expression had gone suspicious. "You have?"

"Once. Krogan religion is long dead, but some old temples have survived long enough to serve as bunkers. One was right outside Clan Urdnot territory and I saw something like this in it a few days before it was blown to bits. An ancient carving of two cloaked figures, one holding a broadsword and the other a smaller sword... a rapier, I think. Our Shamans said it was of the gods that made the Krogan in their image."

He gave Garrus a hard look. "So tell me this. What is something from ancient Krogan mythology doing here?"

Garrus wanted to awnser, but his arms were slowly starting to burn from holding Liara all this time. She might have been small, but she was heavier then she looked.

Just then he became aware of the sound of footsteps behind him, too light against the stone to be any of their group.

He turned and saw a young woman jogging up from one of the buildings. About average height, she looked to be in her mid twenties if Garrus was guessing correctly. But more importantly she was wearing a colonial jumpsuit bearing the name of Zhu's Hope.

"I saw what happened. Is she alright?" the woman asked worriedly, running up and gesturing at Liara.

"She just fainted. Maybe her archeological mind couldn't handle all this." Garrus assured her, hefting the limp Asari in his arms.

"Maybe. I'm... still have a hard time with it all," the colonist replied, then stood up straighter. "But where are my manners. I'm Lizbeth Baynham, former ExoGeni scientist."

Garrus frowned. "ExoGeni? But what are you doing here?"

"I was in the colony at the time. The Geth cut us off from ExoGeni headquarters so... I was stuck there. I'm the only one from ExoGeni who survived." Her head bowed and Garrus heard her fight back tears. "My mother tried to get away... she didn't make it."

"I'm sorry," he said, but knew it was a pointless apology. He'd given enough useless condolences to knew they didn't work.

"I know. But I'm over that now," she whispered, looking up with a small smile on her face. "I'm alright. But if you want, we can take your girlfriend to the medical center. Unless you want some alone time, of course."

"My girlf-" Garrus spluttered, shaking his head. He could feel Wrex's smirk drilling into his back before he mustered a response. "She's not my girlfriend. We're, uh, teammates, that's it."

"You're a terrible liar, Vakarian," Wrex snorted, turning back to the statue.

Garrus shot him a glare, then turned back to Lizbeth awkwardly. "But taking her to medical would be great, thanks."

"So you two aren't..."

"No!" Garrus cried before Wrex could open his big mouth.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I just thought... well," Lizbeth said quietly as turned back to the building she had left earlier. "This way please."

Hefting Liara again, Garrus followed her. As he passed Stela and the Blackwatch he could feel the smirks aim at him.

"Rescuing the young Maidan, eh, Blue Bell?" he heard one of them call after him and he scowled.

Blue Bell was the name many of the special forces in the Hierarchy gave the Turians in C-Sec. Always flashing their sirens and never allowed to bite back. Even though he hated the name, he couldn't help but agree with it. C-Sec was bound by so many rules and regulations you couldn't sneeze on a suspect and not have a mountain of paperwork.

To the operatives of the Blackwatch, who could do anything they wanted during an op, so long as it completed the mission, such a position was laughable. They wouldn't be caught dead in such a post. Apparently guard duty for the center of galactic politics was below free-thinkers like them.

And rescuing the Maidan? Well, didn't all eager young recruits hang onto the old stories of brave knights ridding across the galaxy and getting the girl in the end?

That, or the game Galaxy of Fantasy was more popular then he thought. It had the same principle... only with far less clothing involved.

Garrus bit his tongue, stopping a retort he knew he'd regret. When it came to the game of insults, the Blackwatch were unmatched. Thankfully, they reached the building quickly. Lizbeth pressed her hand against a small pad beside the door and it slid upward silently, letting them inside.

As the door shut behind them, he took in the hallway beyond appreciatively.

It seemed the whole building was made to be relaxing. The ribbed walls were a soft cream color and small crystal chandlers hung from the ceiling at regular intervals, bathing the place in a calming white light. Potted plants stood against the walls, each a tree that twisted in such a way that it was impossible to follow.

It reminded Garrus of a more exotic version of Hurta Memorial Hospital on the Citadel.

"Very nice," he murmured, looking around.

"I know," Lizbeth replied happily, leading him passed a few doors set into the wall. "I couldn't believe it myself. Everyone thought we would have to start from scratch again when we arrived. Instead we found all this waiting for us."

"And when did you get here exactly?" Garrus asked, his C-Sec interrogation skill kicking in automatically.

"About four days ago. There's everything we need here, and all she asked in return was protection."

"Who? The... uh, New Growth of the Thorian?"

Lizbeth let out a laugh. "We were confused about her name as well. 'Thorian' is the name of her species and New Growth is only a title, her current name, actually. She told me it'll change as she gets older."

"But what is she exactly? I've never seen a green Asari before."

"That's complicated," Lizbeth said, turning to walk through an arch that led to a stairwell and started going up. "This isn't her real body, you see. In reality she's more a... giant plant."

"A giant _plant_?" Garrus asked incredulously, stopping with one foot on the stairs.

"I told you its complicated." she said, continuing upward, her voice growing more reluctant the further up she went. "There was another Thorian below the colony of Zhu's Hope calling itself the Old Growth. In fact it was the main reason why the colony was established. Exo-Geni wanted to study the effects it would have on the colonists."

"And you went along with it." It wasn't a question.

"We were under contract. Exo-Geni practically owned our lives so long as we were there. Besides, my mother and I seemed to be the only ones with a heart there. We hated what we were doing to these people and argued that there was another way we could do this. Of course, we were on the bottom of the totem pole, so no one listened to us and we were forbidden from saying anything."

"Of course," Garrus nodded, wondering exactly what a totem pole was. Must have been a human thing. They had so many expressions that most in the galaxy just accepted them without questioning what they meant.

Humans were strange like that.

"The Geth attacked Exo-Geni headquarters first," Lizbeth continued sadly. "It all happened so fast. Our security was wiped out before we could react. When they came for us my mother distracted them. That's how I managed to get away. But when I got to the colony something... strange was happening."

"How so?"

"Well, when we were studying the Thorian we discovered that it was filling the air with a type of spore. A small sniff of the stuff can't do anything, but the colonists were directly above it and were exposed to it every hour. It was... mind controlling them, forcing them to fight and defend it from the Geth. But I suppose we would have done it anyway, for our own survival."

She stopped and looked at him. "I later learned that Saren had already been there. He had fought his way through the colony and saw the Thorian first hand. The New Growth won't say what he wanted, but it must have been important... enough to kill us all to keep it a secret."

"So that's why Saren was there. To find the Thorian?"

Lizbeth nodded. "Yes. Once he got what he wanted he set the Geth on us and we were forced to fight for our own safety and because of the Growth's... _insistence_. But when the Geth started to retreat we knew something was wrong. Apparently so did the Old Growth, because next thing we know it popped out a green Asari... then just withered and died before our eyes. She called herself the 'Seed' to start out with. I'm guessing the Thorians name themselves in aline with their age or something. Anyway, it warned us what was coming, and that the whole colony was going to be wiped out to cover Saren's presence there. As if we needed her to tell us that."

"So it offered you a way out and you took it," Garrus said.

"What choice did we have? We knew something was wrong, the Geth wouldn't be leaving otherwise. And we didn't even have a ship to get away with. But the Seed said it knew of ship buried beneath the tower in a sealed hanger and it offered us the chance of a new life, outside of the Alliance and ExoGeni. I think we accepted just in time."

She stopped on the stairs, a fearful look on her face. "I... heard what Commander Rose said about the Reapers, but I never believed it until then. Saren's ship... it just reached down and tore the colony apart like a toy. And the noise... I've never heard anything like it."

Then she shook her head and stepped off the stairwell into the forth floor hallway. "But we managed to make a clean getaway after it left. The Seed knew almost everything about the Prothean ship and taught us how to operate it. Really neat stuff. Of course we picked up a Turian ship following us, but we didn't think it would follow us through an unknown Relay."

"I didn't," Garrus said. "That was our job."

"Of course. Then it took us here to Gaia."

"That's the name of the planet, right?"

"Yeah." She stopped in front of another door set into the wall, an awed look on her face. "I still can't believe that something that big can fly. The orbital station, I mean. But then again, they did build it over the course of hundreds of thousands of years."

Lizbeth pressed her hand against the small pad next to the door and it opened silently, letting them in.

The room beyond was of moderate size. A queen sized bed stood against the wall with a night table beside it. A window on the opposite wall let in the light outside.

As soon as he saw the bed, Garrus rushed forward and gently lay Liara on it, sighing in relief as his burning arms were given rest.

"On a side note, how do you know its still not controlling you?" he asked, shaking his arms to get the blood flowing again.

"It never had the chance to control me," Lizbeth replied. "It requires constant exposure to the spores to allow that to happen. Exo-Geni was very careful when it came to that. Its why we were based so far from the colony. As for the others... well, they say they had to fight for their minds, in way. The control of the Thorian was far from subtle. It overpowered their freewill in such a way to seem normal to the outside, making them act the same way but restrict their freethinking beyond what it wanted. They were always aware of its control over them. When the Old Growth died, its control just faded. I don't think the Seed had any capacity to control them, even if it wanted to. Now that shes a fully formed Thorian no one has said anything about feeling her influence. She even promised us that she would never even try. That's just not who she is. According to her, the Old Growth was going against the law of Thorian species. The spores are only supposed to help the plant life, helping them grow in this... sublayer."

"I wouldn't say I trust her on that, but it makes sense. Kind of," Garrus said. He never payed much attention in biology classes, but that last thing about spores sounded about right. The giant plant controlling the smaller ones through its spores.

But did that mean they were placing themselves at risk being here?

"So you've been here for five days?" he asked, setting the spore topic aside. He'd bring it up with the Commander when she returned.

Lizbeth nodded. "Just about. Its been rather easy to adjust. As I said before, everyone thought we would have to start again from nothing. Instead we found all this waiting for us."

"And the... 'Seed,' what happened to it?"

"What always happens to seeds," Lizbeth shrugged. "It locked itself in the Library, the building it took the Commander into. A few hours later she walked out and started calling herself the New Growth. Also she was wearing clothes, so that was a relief."

Garrus gave her a raised eye ridge. "So it was naked the whole time?"

Lizbeth blushed deeply. " _She_. But...Yeah. It isn't really her fault. She just didn't have the concept of clothing back then."

"Must have given you quiet a show."

She only blushed deeper. "She was rather... _clingy_ at times."

"But what is it exactly? You're talking about a giant plant, but what I'm seeing is a green Asari. As exotic as that is I don't see much of a difference."

"Again, complicated," Lizbeth said, sitting down on the side of the bed. "The Thorian is a plant, a living organism that has sentience. How it evolved like that I have no idea. But the thing you have to understand is that the Thorian doesn't reproduce like us. It doesn't have children, instead it forms a seed that can grow into a new Thorian. When the Old Growth felt that it was going to die, I believe it didn't want its species to go with it. So it made a body using genetic material from an Asari, no idea who, and formed it around a seed, allowing it to move and find a knew place to take root."

"But why didn't it just move itself?" Garrus asked.

"For the same reason why you can't uproot any other plant. They die without sustenance to sustain them. And the Old Growth was barely alive as it was. Living in a tower far off the ground and away from all plant life was starving it. How it survived all these centuries I'll never know. But this seed could find a new home. Once the Seed was... birthed, I guess, the Old Growth just gave up. When the Seed went into the Library I'm guessing it took root and left her other body behind. Now she's just using it to interact with us like any normal person. As for its real body, I believe it would look much like the Old Grown, only a lot healthier."

"Again, makes sense," Garrus muttered. "I can understand the giant plant part. But why here specifically, in this... Library place?"

Lizbeth smiled softly. "You probably won't believe this, but she's a living AI."

Garrus stared at her in disbelief, then spoke slowly. "A living AI?"

"Well, not really, actually. There's nothing artificial about her. But with the way she can process things she might as well be. She even explained it herself. Even long ago there were fears of AI rebellions, but the people here needed something to help with things simple VIs couldn't. That's the whole purpose of the Thorians as a species. Living super computers, able to do almost everything a AI can. In a way, its far better. They understand the value of life and other subjects that no machine ever could. Ever since we've been here she's been controlling the electoral systems and other things like any old computer. The real amazing part is that the whole forest acts as her databanks. She can remember everything since this planet's founding through it, along with everything her predecessors stored here. In a way it makes sense. Their kind used to be called the Librarians of Gaia. But she seems more like a caretaker then anything else"

"Interesting," the C-Sec detective muttered. "And you're the guards she... _hired_?"

Lizbeth nodded. "I guess so. But no one really objects. We're all happy here. We're free and there's more then enough supplies. This layer of the planet was meant to supply the whole city and station up above us, after all."

"A self sustaining planet," Garrus murmured as a realization dawn upon him. "And its hidden in the middle of nowhere."

"An Arc," Lizbeth nodded softly. "A fortress world. A hiding place from the Reapers, she told us."

"Then they found it and burned it to the ground," he said, looking up at the ceiling. He sighed. Suddenly everything seemed more real then ever before.

The Reapers, once a threat that hovered on the edge obscurity seemed bigger then everything combined. A twinge of helplessness settled in his chest as he looked up. If they had burned this fortress, how long would Palaven stand against them? How could anyone stand against them?

Tearing his mind away he strolled over to the window and stared out into the courtyard.

Everything was just as they left it. But for some reason his eyes slowly settled on Wrex, still staring up at the statues. Soon he found his own gaze locked on the two cloaked figures.

"Who were they?" he asked, jerking his head at them.

"We don't know," Lizbeth replied moving to stand beside him, her voice dropping to a whisper. "But here's something strange: Even _she_ doesn't know."

"The Thorian?"

She nodded. "She can tell us everything about anything here. Not that she will. There are still a lot of things she says are classified. But those people... she has no idea. But they must mean something. They wouldn't be here otherwise."

Garrus nodded slowly, eyes slowly trailing back down to Wrex, the Krogan's words echoing in his mind. How did something from Krogan mythology end up here?

Unless it was the other way around?

-Linebreak-

The rubber ball bounced off the floor, hit the window and flew back into Joker's hand with a jolt. He winced as the shock jumped through his brittle bones, but there was no sickening snap. The brace on his arm was hold admirably.

He idly threw the bouncy ball again, catching it perfectly.

Both the ball and brace had been a gift from Ruby when she learned that he got bored up in the cockpit. Of course, that was only after she added the firewalls to the ships extranet connection, blocking most of his... _extracurricular_ activities.

But Ruby had made it very clear: If porn brought virus' into the ship's systems then it had to go.

When he complained about getting bored she got him a bouncy ball. When he said he could use it because of his Vrolik syndrome she very kindly got him an expensive arm brace that she had paid for herself.

"That's what friends are for," he muttered, tossing the ball again. "Balls and free medical care."

But he was glad for what she'd done for him. Along with catching a stupid ball, the brace was useful for many other things.

But no amount of throwing his ball of boredom could stop him from worrying.

It had been almost five hours since they last had contact with the Commander, and everyone was getting anxious. The giant orbital station hung below them, a brown snowflake the color of shit against the black gas of the planet.

Even worse, there was no way for them to find them. They could be anywhere on that thing. Call him paranoid, but he cared about his friend's safety.

Just then his controls beeped. He glanced at them, the ball missed his hand, flying against the far wall of the cockpit. But that was the least of his worries as his fingers flew over the controls.

"Hostile signals!" he shouted back to the CIC. "Engaging stealth drives!"

On his readouts the signals of three Geth Cruisers exited the Relay and shot towards the planet. But thankfully not towards them.

Pressly ran up beside him. "Geth?"

Joker nodded. "Three Cruisers. They haven't seen us yet."

"Where are they headed?"

Joker examined the readings closer. "I think they're heading down into the gas giant," he said slowly. "Not something you'd expect Geth to do."

Pressly grunted in agreement. "If they want to destroy themselves than that's their problem. So long as they're not headed for us or the station that's just fine."

"Should I warn the Commander?"

Pressly shook his head. "If we can't reach her over encrypted comm lines then we'd only be giving ourselves away by transmitting on an open channel. Don't worry. So long as they're not heading for the station the Commander will be fine."

With that he turned and walked away, shouting orders as he went. But Joker still stared at the screens, watching as the Geth ships vanished in the cloudy sky of the planet

Why would machines do something like that?

Still, Pressly was right. Wherever the Commander was, she was safe on the station if the Geth were going right past them. But that didn't ease the worry coiling in his gut as he reached for his ball.

* * *

 **Updated: March 17, 2017.**

 **Fixed errors pointed out by Shad0wReaper133.**

* * *

 **Well, I finally managed to get it out. Chapter 16 is here!**

 **This is actually a lot later than I planed. Last week has been rather hectic and I thought I wouldn't be able to get around to this, life stuff and all that.**

 **Yet again, not a lot happens in this chapter. Its not my best work and not very exciting, but some back story is needed on these things before we move on. But now that I have the Thorian ironed down somewhat, we can move onto the more juicy stuff coming up. Aura is gonna be making its entrance into the galaxy.**

 **As for errors, I've been combing over this chapter whenever I had the chance. I think I caught most of them, but there might be a few small ones here and there, but I will correct them as I find them. As from previous chapters I've been going through them as well, correcting and editing where necessary. I've already gone through Chapter 1 and fixed it to the best of my abilities, I also fixed the big spelling errors in chapter 15 that many of you have pointed out. Thanks for that by the way. I will try to update the rest in soon, but lets see how life turns out.  
**

 **More to come on Ruby and the history of Aura in the galaxy next week. Hopefully. Until then, I will see you next time.**

 **Once again, many thanks to my beta: Rampant Poultry.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing.**


	17. A Deeper Understanding

Well, there could be worse places to wait. She could be meeting a giant squid at the bottom of an ocean. But as far as most places went, this wasn't so bad.

Though the company could be a little less... strange.

But the chair was comfy, so that was a plus. Ruby wiggled on the unknown leather, once again testing the material. The thick cushion compressed beneath her, but her armored rear never dipped below a certain point. It was like she was hitting the wooden seat of the chair, but there was nothing there.

It was weird, but one of the comfiest weirdnesses she had ever sat in.

The room she sat in was huge. The ceiling arched high overhead and four large chandeliers, each one larger then the Mako, hung in each corner, casting their dusty yellow light everywhere. The high walls were covered in beautiful stain glass windows, depicting towering figures baring weapons that rivalled even Crescent Rose in their strangeness. As the light from outside shone down from above, their silver eyes blazed as though burning with fire.

Neat rows of bookshelves stretched around the perimeter of the room, reaching high above her head and making her feel like she was in maze. The center was free of shelves and the flooring had been replaced by patches of bare earth. Flowers, small bushes and other plants grew in abundance, broken only by the cobblestone path worming its way through the indoor garden.

In the middle of this sat Ruby in one of the comfiest chairs ever created, pulled up beside a small tea table set up in the garden. Another chair opposite her awaited the return of the Thorian, or the New Growth, as she wanted to be called.

It was all a lot to take in. As the sentient plant had guided her through the Library, she had told Ruby everything about her kind, the planet and the station that she could. It was hard to believe that this planet, this fortress world had existed long before humanity even grew legs. But the hardest thing to get over, beyond the whole impossibility of it all, was that this was a walking, talking, _living_ tree!

Well, that wasn't exactly true.

Slowly, Ruby looked up at her host.

In between the four chandeliers hung a bulbous, vibrant green sack, suspended from the ceiling by dozens of thick vines. But strangest of was the collection of swallow pits near the bottom of the gently pulsing mass. Just below them was a strange mouthlike opening from which hung a number of tentacles.

It was certainly a strange look for a _plant_.

As she watched, the creature pulsed gently.

 _Comfortable?_

Ruby blinked as the voice rang in her mind, just like in the Crypt back on the station. She nodded, giving another wriggle. "Yep. It's just... weird."

The Thorian hanging above her hummed softly. _I or the chair_ _?_

"Both," she answered hesitantly. "No offence, but I never thought I'd be talking to plant before."

 _None taken, though_ _I understand. We are far different than any other species. In fact, I would go so far as to say we are the only plant based species in recorded history._ The Thorian's 'eyes' seemed to sparkle. _And Gaia's history stretches back_ _further_ _than you can_ _possibly_ _imagine._

"I'll take your word for it," Ruby sighed, leaning back in her chair and looking around. "So... what is this place?"

"This is the House of Ancients."

Ruby jumped slightly as the voice that was once in her head rang in the open air.

From in between the rows of shelves the walking body of the New Growth emerged, carrying a tray with a strange tea pot and two cups.

"This place has stood from the very beginning," she continued, setting the tray down on the table and sitting down in the other chair.

"Ever since the Reaper war began, Gaia has stood as a bastion against their darkness. Guarded by its warriors and maintained by its people, it has withstood hundreds of battles that would destroy entire civilizations. But alas... it's first real battle in defence against the Reapers was it's last."

She picked up the teapot and poured a soft brown liquid into the two cups. "But as I told you before, hope was never lost. For so long as there are people willing to stand up against the Reapers it lives on in all of us. But of course, Gaia would not be itself if not for its warriors: The Silver Eyed Warriors. This house has stood in honor of them, housing the current master of their Order. That is why I am here. Since the beginning the Thorians have always stood along side your kind, as councillors, caretakers and..."

"Stop," Ruby interrupted, raising a hand. "Please, just... stop for a moment. I have no idea what you're talking about. I mean, you're talking about me like I'm not even human."

"It may seem that way. However, your lack of knowledge on the matter is... disturbing." Calmly, as though the interruption never phased her, the New Growth set down the pot. She placed one cup in front of Ruby before taking a sip from her own, smiling softly at the flavor.

"In what way?" Ruby asked, eyeing her own cup dubiously, watching the coiling trails of steam rising from the brown liquid. Slowly she took a hesitate sip, then her eyes shot open as a familiar taste washed over her tongue. "Is this...?"

The New Growth smiled, setting down her own cup of hot chocolate. "Indeed. A colonist, Lizbeth, introduced me to it on the journey here. It has since become a guilt pleasure of mine."

Well Ruby certainly wasn't complaining. Sweets were rare enough on a space ship, even with her own supply. Relishing the taste, Ruby tipped back and took a big gulp. Instantly she regretted it as the hot drink burned in her mouth, scalding her tongue.

She swallowed quickly, wincing as the heat rushed down her throat and set the cup down with a pained expression.

The New Growth watched in amusement. "I remember having much the same reaction."

Letting out a small whimper, Ruby stuck out her tongue and fanned it madly.

The sentient plant watched for another moment before her face turned serious.

"You must understand that this whole situation is most... troubling to me. I may be young, even the standards of other species, but my mind is linked into the archives stored here. Their memories and experiences are my own. But never before has there been a situation like this."

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked, sucking her tongue back into her mouth.

"You have an unlocked Semblance," the plant said slowly, leaning forward. "Do you know what that means?"

 _Semblance._

The word seemed familiar somehow, beyond the usual context that Ruby was used to. With the distant stirring in her mind came a feeling of... warmth. A calm presence that surrounded her. But then she blinked, and it all faded away.

"No..."

"Your speed," the Thorian said gently. "It is a gift that all Silver eyes receive at the time their unlocking. The ability goes by many different names, but Semblance is the most common."

"Wait," Ruby said, raising a hand. Again, the name sound so familiar, and yet its deeper meaning kept slipping from her grasp. "My speed is called a _Semblance_?"

The New Growth nodded.

"And there are more people that have this... Semblance?"

"It is the birthright of your kind, Silver Eyes." The New Growth leaned back in her chair, taking another sip of her drink. "The books of history I have at my disposal go back a very long way, but even they can't tell where use of Semblances began. All we know is that it first manifested itself with the Silver Eyed Warriors."

"Huh," Ruby murmured, mind reeling as she started making connections. "And I'm a..." She trailed off, gesturing at her own silver eyes.

Smiling, the New Growth nodded again. "Indeed. You were born great. A trait not passed down by blood, species or planet. Fate chose you among the trillions in the galaxy to bare this mark of power, and the responsibility that it entails."

"Born..." Ruby mused, holding her cup and staring down into the brown ripples that swirled on its surface. "That might be hard to prove."

"What do you mean?"

"I..." Ruby sighed, wondering how to put it. "There's no real proof of my birth. I was found in a burning colony some years ago, but they know I wasn't born there. No records of me exist before that point. I can't even remember anything of my life before I was found there."

The New Growth raised an eyeridge. "I see. But you must have found something by now?"

"Nope. Can't find anything. No birth records, dental, healthcare or even a criminal record. Its like I popped out of thin air."

"That might not be out of the question."

Ruby shot the New Growth a puzzled look, but the plant was preoccupied, looking down at the table and thinking hard. "Remember what I said about Semblances?"

She nodded slowly.

"They could be anything. Your speed is simply how it manifests itself inside you. Another person might be able to manipulate fire, fly like a bird or even be capable of teleportation."

"But you just said that mine is speed, and I'm pretty sure I didn't end up there on my own power. I mean, I can run fast, but not that fast."

"True. But who's to say someone didn't put you there on purpose? Its impossible to predict what someone's Semblance will be. However, teleportation or portals aren't out of the question. Yes... it does seem more then likely, especially if someone knew about your heritage. Silver eyes are a very, very rare trait. Maybe they placed you there to save you from a death you faced before. But its impossible to know for certain."

Ruby slumped back in her chair, mind reeling. For her whole life she had speculated how and why she had been found on Mirdoir. But never before had she thought that someone might have plucked her from her home like a flower and planted her on Mirdoir. But why were her eyes such a big deal in all this?

Granted, this whole talk about magic powers called Semblances was hard enough to take in... and yet she couldn't help but believe it. She was living proof, after all.

Her speed. She had called it that for the longest time. But now she had a real name for it: A Semblance.

For a moment all her worries started to fade. Saren, the Reapers, all of it faded, leaving her with the living plant sitting before her.

She had been left in the dark her whole life, not knowing how or why she had this strange power. And now, here was someone who knew what it was. She wasn't going to miss this chance.

"So, how does this work?" she asked. "I mean, you call it a Semblance, but what is it exactly and how does it work?... Please." she added politely, putting on her best pleading smile. She even debated if it was necessary to pull out her puppy eyes.

"It is actually quite simple," the Thorian said, negating the need for her secret weapon of persuasion. "It is the power of your very soul, made manifest to the outside world."

Ruby blinked, then blinked again. Considering the whole talk about Semblances and magic powers being completely crazy, this reached whole new levels of madness. The power of her soul? What was that supposed to mean?

And yet, for some reason, it all sounded so right. Like she had heard it a long time before.

"My soul?" she repeated, incredulously, then snorted. "I'm sorry, its just... that was probably the most cliched thing I've heard in a while."

The Thorian didn't respond, as if expecting her disbelief. Then she set down her cup and sat up straight, her face screwed up in concentration. For a moment, Ruby thought she was going to pop a blood vessel or something. Then she started back as a glow suffused the air around the living plant. It was twinged a light green, glowing softly against the hue of her skin. And it defiantly wasn't biotics.

Spellbound, Ruby managed to tear her eyes away to look up and see the same glow surrounding the Thorian's main body. The whole creature seemed to pulse with energy, filling the air with a strange presence.

Then with a jolt, Ruby realized she'd seen this before on Therum. The strange, unearthly barrier that surrounded the nightmarish Screamer, soaking up shot after shot without breaking, looked almost exactly like this... as did the same crimson glow that had appeared around her hand, protecting her from it's influence.

But then another memory stirred in her mind and she was...

 _...staring in awe at the thin film of Aura that surrounded her hand, glowing with a bright crimson light. She giggled as a tingling spread all across her body, filling it with tiny needles before being replaced with a warmth unlike anything she'd ever felt. Even better then snuggling in with mommy._

" _I'm glowing!" she exclaimed, in a voice that sounded too young to be her own._

" _That's your Aura, sweetheart." A rough hand gently ruffled her hair and she turned, giving the man a childish pout._

 _He was tall with bright yellow blond hair, work worn clothes and brilliant violet eyes. Excited, she ran forward and hugged his leg without a second thought. Then she felt his arms wrap around her, hugging her softly._

 _Her five year old mind was overjoyed at his affection, but the hardened N7 watching the memory play out was knocked dumb. She knew this man, but how could she have forgotten?_

 _Dad._

" _But why Yang glow yellow?" she asked childishly._

" _Because everyone's different," the man softly, ruffling her hair again. "There's nothing wrong with that."_

" _But Yang says yellow is better."_

 _He laughed softly. "That's just her favourite color. Besides, red looks much better on you. You look just like a little flower." As he said this, his face seemed to droop, a deep pain settling in as he pulled her in tighter. "...my little flower."_

" _But I wanted white!" she exclaimed, smiling up at him. "I wanted white! Just like mommy!"_

 _Her dad's face shattered like glass. His sad smile replaced with numb shock, sadness and a pain so deep you could drowned in it. Ruby could feel his agony, even through the dark passages of her lost memory. Something had happened to her mother, she knew it._

 _But her five year old self was oblivious to the true nature of his agony. She only hugged his leg again, then slipped out of his limp arms and ran up the stairs towards her sister's room._

" _Yang!" she called out. "Yang! I'm glowing!"_

She snapped back to awareness, just in time to see the glow around the Thorian fade away.

"That was Aura," the living plant announced. "The energy of the soul, manifested to the outside world."

Ruby didn't reply, still numb with shock at what she had seen.

Her father.

She had a _father_!

And she also had a sister! _Yang_.

Then, like a cruel old miser, the darkness of her forgotten past reared up and snatched the faces away. The love and affection her father had given her that day vanished as quickly as it arrived, taking everything with it. The loss left a hole in her chest, an emptiness that missed the loving care of her parents and longed to see them again. All that was left was the single name she managed to remember that night on the Normandy.

 _Yang._

Suddenly she felt a wetness go down her cheek. She reached up a hand and found a tear trailing down her face.

She blinked, clearing her eyes before more tears could come, struggling to remember whatever had made her feel like this. When nothing came she cursed quietly. Why couldn't she remember? Sighing, she looked up and saw the Thorian watching her closely.

"Are you well?" the plant asked, worry evident on her face.

"I'm fine," Ruby nodded, blinking away the last of the tears. "But please, continue. Something about... Aura, was it?"

The New Growth eyed her suspiciously for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, Aura. The energy of the soul. It has always been the staple of the Silver Eyed Warriors. Almost no species in the history of the galaxy are capable of summoning their Aura from their bodies on their own, the Silver Eyes among them being the exception. In fact, many believed that _only_ the Silver Eyes can summon Aura. That is hardly true, as I just proved to you. Though it has always been asked why only those with silver eyes seem capable of unlocking their Aura on their own. I doubt we will ever get an answer. But their Aura is only a stepping stone to their true power. What this is, unfortunately, I cannot tell you. It was a closely guarded secret, not even we Thorians know of it. But it must have been powerful indeed, enough to strike fear into the Reapers themselves."

She collected herself, eyes going unfocused for a moment before continuing. "It is their Aura that protects them from the foul influence of the Reapers, saving their souls and minds from indoctrination. It also protects them from physical harm. A strong enough Aura can save you from something as simple as a scratch to an orbital bombardment... though that has only happened twice in recorded history. Then we come to you."

Ruby blinked. "Me?"

"As I said before, you have a Semblance, another staple of the Silver Eyed Warriors and yet no Aura to speak of. Technically that's impossible since a Semblance is powered by Aura."

"Well," Ruby shrugged. "I do burn calories like crazy when I use my spee- _Semblance_."

She couldn't help relish in the word. Finally her speed had a name to go along with it.

"That is expected. You are using your body to run, but it is Aura that truly gives you your speed."

"That makes sense... I guess."

"But what doesn't make sense is how you unlocked your Aura in the first place," the New Growth said, leaning in closer, her eyes thoughtful. "It is most common for a Silver Eye's Aura to awaken when they first come in contact with a Reaper. They are the very essence of evil, and it rouses the souls of those who can feel it. The Silver Eyes have always been sensitive to their darkness and their Auras unlock as soon a Reaper makes their presence known. But you... you claim that you were found without an Aura and had an active Semblance years ago, long before you even knew of the Reapers."

Ruby nodded, leaned forward and hanging on every word. This was more then she ever dared hope to learn. "That's right."

"Such a thing is impossible. Very few things can trigger an Aura. Even when highly advanced civilizations tried, they found no way to artificially unlock one."

Well, that certainly eased her worries. It definitely meant the Promethean hadn't made her after all. "But I still have it. So what does that mean?"

"I don't know," the living plant said, then laughed softly. "Indeed, those are words I'd never thought I would say. You are a mystery, Silver Eyes. However, you are a mystery I would be honoured to help solve."

"What are you saying?" Ruby asked quietly, leaning forward.

"It is my duty to assist you, Silver Eyes. As caretaker of the House of Ancients, it would be my honor to help you unravel the puzzle of your pas..."

Before her next words could break from her lips the earth suddenly shook. They both jumped as the tremor continued, sending ripples through their drinks. And deep in the vibrations, Ruby could hear something. A tiny whisper, so small she could barely hear it.

But it seemed the Thorian heard it quiet clearly, for her eyes widened in shock and fear. Then she nodded and the tremor stopped as soon as it had begun.

For a moment, neither could find their voice. Then Ruby swallowed. "What was that?"

"Gaia spoke to me," The New Growth said quietly.

"The planet spoke to you?" Scepticism filled her voice, even as she remembered the tiny whisper in the rumble. "That's... uh..."

"You heard it too, didn't you?" the living plant smiled grimly. "Very few can hear Gaia when it speaks. To hear even a whisper is a sign of good fortune."

"But... that's..."

"The planet is alive, Silver Eyes. Just not in the traditional sense like you or I. It has Aura, even as you and I do. Those who know what to look for can find it easily."

Ruby nodded, though she didn't understand. She had thought this place was crazy enough, what with the giant station, even larger city, and the whole crust hollowed out and filled with forest. But now she was being told that the planet was _alive_.

"How? If you don't mind me asking."

The New Growth leaned back, staring up at her main body. "We do not know. It has been alive for as long as the Thorians have lived on this world, and even longer before that. I know it sounds strange, us not knowing how our own planet is alive. But so long as we live on it we must never find out."

That peaked Ruby's attention. "What do you mean by that?"

"We were never meant to be here." She looked back at Ruby sadly. "My kind evolved here by accident. From the moment our earliest Roots began to influence the soil, Gaia called up to us and we were at its mercy. It could have ended my entire species in an instant, but it saw penitential in us and so let us grow on its surface. The only thing it asked in return was to serve the Silver Eyed Warriors defending the galaxy against the Reapers. But it also made one demand that was to be followed without question: That neither we, nor anyone else ever study it. Gaia was once the most populous planet in the galaxy, and yet we still know nothing about it."

"Has anyone ever tried?" Ruby asked quietly.

"A few. But the planet itself turned on them. Dark shapes crawled out the shadows and tore them to ribbons before vanishing altogether. We have no doubt that Gaia is alive in someway, but only a select few know exactly how and they are long dead, taking the secret to the grave."

Ruby raised a hand. "Wait, back up a moment. First you said that you had no idea how your planet is alive, now you're telling me that a few people knew but they didn't tell you?"

"They were sworn to secrecy, and they would have rather died then reveal it. As for how they found out; there is a tunnel beneath this building, going down to the core of the planet. When Gaia summoned them, they go there and an elevator of stone rises to collect them, coming up from the depths. When they returned... they were forever burdened by the secret of the planet"

"Right," Ruby muttered, running a hand down her face.

This was getting more complicated then she would like.

First they had come here looking for the colonists and why Saren had destroyed the colony. Now she was being caught up in taking plants, living planets, giant cities and silver eyes. It left her head a spinning mess.

But there were still things she wanted to know. A living planet could wait. She wanted to know more about everything. The statues back in the Crypt, this place, the Silver Eyed Warriors, whoever they were, and more importantly about her own abilities.

But why stop there? The Prothean ruins she'd come in contact with had responded to her touch, opening doors and elevators that others had been studying for decades. Did this have something do with all that?

And there was still so much she didn't know. The Thorian had spoke of her 'heritage,' but what did that mean? Did her eyes have something to do with that? But if it was about a heritage... did that mean the Thorian knew something about where she'd come from?

Questions fought for dominance in her mind, each one begging to be awnsered. Normally she would leave disappointed.

Not this time.

This was finally her chance to learn something.

"Well, that's interesting," she said, taking another sip of hot chocolate. "But could we please go back to Aura, and whatever it was you were talking about?"

A pained expression crossed her face and the Thorian's head drooped. "I am sorry, Silver Eyes. But Gaia has forbidden me from speaking of those things to you."

Her teacup dropped to the table with a hard clink as the proverbial rug was yanked out from under her.

"W-what?" Ruby stammered, dumbstruck. "But... _why_?"

"I do not know," the New Growth shook her head sadly. "But I dare not go against Gaia. It said my life was already forfeit because of what I'd already told you. It should have killed me for what I said... but it spared me, only because I was the last of my kind. Your life and Aura are a mystery, Silver Eyes. And it is a mystery Gaia seem determined to keep in darkness."

Ruby only gaped at her. She couldn't help but be angry. Here she was, trying to figure out her strange power from the only being in the galaxy who knew what it was and now the whole damn _planet_ was against her. What sort of messed up place was this?

She could have demanded more, told the Thorian to ignore the _voice_ of the giant ball of dirt, but she couldn't do it. The Thorian was scared, she could see that plainly. Though the plant was putting on a brave face, Ruby could see the deep rooted terror hiding behind her eyes. She clearly had done something wrong, and if what she said was true, then she was the mercy of the planet. How that was possible, Ruby had no clue. But here she was again, right on the cusp of finally learning something about herself and having it snatched away.

But she had come to expect it like this. Stonewalled yet again, just like with her blasted memory.

The anger she had felt before drained away as she leaned back in her chair, replaced with weary sense of hopelessness. She would never find out anything now. Not so long as the planet had anything to say about it.

She sighed. There was still a mission she had to complete.

"Can you at least tell me what Saren wanted back on Zhu's Hope?" she asked in a dead voice.

The Thorian considered it for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. In fact, that was the only thing Gaia has allowed me to share with you."

"That's... _thoughtful of it_ ," Ruby growled, glaring down at a patch of bare earth at her feet, willing the planet to feel her anger.

"I'm more thankful that it hasn't killed me," the New Growth said, giving Ruby a look of sympathy. "But I understand why you are upset. Forced ignorance is a curse rarely dealt out, but no less terrible to those who suffer it, especially in a case like this. But please understand that I have no clue as to why Gaia wants you kept in the dark."

"Just what did Saren want?" Ruby snapped. She was already in a foul mood with the planet taking away her chance. Now she just wanted to get this over and done with and leave this damn place behind.

The New Growth winced at her tone, but nodded. "A translation. As you no doubt aware by now, the Protheans used an advanced system to communicate with others through their beacons. My predecessor had the means to understand them, a gift she passed on to the traitor. And yes, I have the means as well."

"Can you give it to me?"

"That may be more difficult," the Thorian said, looking up at her own gently pulsing mass thoughtfully. "They made an exchange. The Old Growth wanted to live, so she offered everything she had to bargain for her life. Though in the end it proved a fruitless endeavour in the end, the agreement had been made and she gave Saren what he wanted. But in order to let my predecessor understand this cycle he sacrificed one of his own to the Old Growth, an Asari named Shiala."

The plant lowered her head sadly. "She did not survive the bonding process. It is her face that I bare now, both in thanks and regret for her passing. But she gave the Old Growth the means transfer the necessary information. However the process would have killed a regular being... but the one you called Saren can no longer be called that. He has given himself over fully to the Reapers, letting them alter his body and mind to their wishes. It was only because of this that he survived the transfer. However, I'm afraid that you would perish if you attempted to do the same."

"Can you do anything about that?"

"Indeed. I can compress down the knowledge and give it to you through a meld, like any Asari. But it will take time. The translated life experiences of a whole species are large and complex, something not easily shrunk down enough for your human brain to handle safely."

Ruby nodded. She'd heard from Asari that when it came to a meld, the larger the idea the harder it was to process. "How long are we talking?"

The Thorian glanced upward thoughtfully. "About eight hours, just to be safe."

"I can handle tha-"

Just then another rumble shook the ground, far smaller and sorter then the one before, echoing in the vast cavern.

"Let me guess," Ruby groaned, angrily. "Gaia spoke to you again, telling me to get the hell off its ass, am I right?"

But the Thorian shook her head, frowning in confusion. "That... wasn't Gaia."

"Then wha-"

The rumble came again, still weak and faint. But it definitely didn't feel like the planet was talking. It felt more like a natural earthquake then anything. But no. As another rumble came, Ruby realized that all the rumbles sounded almost exactly the same. But so far as she knew, no two earthquakes were identical in scale. In fact they sounded just like a hammer... a hammer coming from the surface of the planet.

Then with dread, Ruby realized what it was.

"Oh shi-"

Another rumble came, followed by a loud crack that split the air and put their ears on edge. The sound of a mile of earth splitting in two.

Ruby shot to her feet, earlier feelings forgotten as she rushed for the door, the worried Thorian following close behind.

The run through the corridors of the library seemed to take forever, but soon the front doors loomed into view. They opened much faster then before and they rush out into the Courtyard.

Her team and the Blackwatch, with exception of Liara, were still there, looking out at something far on the horizon.

Far off in the distance was a patch of blackness, a triangular section of ceiling where the crystals had gone dark. As another rumble shook the ground the whole patch groaned and Ruby was shocked to see the whole piece shift downward, falling away like a puzzle piece.

"The surface has always been weak after the Reaper attack," the New Growth said from beside her. "When the city above fell, the survives fled here below the surface. But the Reaper forces found other ways through, cracking open the crust in places around the planet and hunted them down like vermin. This area survived, but the orbital bombardments left the crust thinner then it once was. The centuries have not been kind to it either. Now, I fear it is weak enough for someone to..."

She was cut off as an earth shattering crack echoed through the air. The piece shuddered one last time, then fell away from the rocky ceiling.

Ruby watched it fall, the grim reality of what was happening settling in. They were trapped underground and somehow the enemy had managed to find them.

She imagined what it must have been like for the people living here before, fleeing from the horrors above, only to herded into this trap below. Did they stand their final ground, fighting bravely to the last man, or did they cower in holes, waiting for the storm to pass?

It was a strange, terrifying thought. They were a force less then a hundred strong, stuck in a situation that had killed countless billions before. How could they make it out of this one?

In the far distance the falling piece hit the ground with a thunderous boom, flattening a whole swath of forest. A second latter the earth shook with the vibrations, shaking them to their very bones through their boots.

And in that rumble, Ruby heard something. A voice that spoke through the vibrations and seemed to come from the very core of the planet itself.

 _Do you doubt yourself?_

And then it was gone.

Ruby shot a look down to the paving stones, wondering if it had been her imagination. Then a shout drew her attention back to the gaping hole left in the ceiling.

The bloody red light from the fires above shining down through the hole cast a hellish light on the greenery below. It also highlighted the bulbous shapes of three Geth Cruisers dropping down into the carven.

And that puzzled her.

As the Cruisers started pulling up, Ruby followed their path and realized that they didn't have the space.

There was a reason why Frigates were the only ships capable of manoeuvrable flight in atmosphere. Their smaller size to Eezo core ratio was the only thing that kept them in the air while still being able to fly and evade incoming fire. Dreadnoughts and Cruisers could hover, but anything more then a tight turn could ruin their balance of mass and sent them crashing to the ground. A Cruiser could handle slightly better, but not what the Geth were doing now.

The Cruisers had nosed dived into the cavern in a triangular formation. Most likely the same one they had kept while bombarding the surface with their main guns to crack open the hole. But the fact that they entered in the same formation was troubling. Machines would never do something like that.

The reason was painfully obvious as the three ships tried to pull up out of their dive, their engines screamed. But it was too little too late. They nosedived into the hard earth, tearing up the forest as they slid across the ground. Even from kilometers away Ruby could hear the ancient trees snapping under the weight of the massive ships.

"Think anything could survive that?" Garrus asked, eyeing the smoke that began to climb from the fresh wreckage.

"They did."

All eyes turned to the New Growth as she spoke. Her eyes were shut, darting back and forth beneath her eyelids as her face slowly twisted into a grimace.

"I feel them through the roots," she whispered. "They are awakening... and they have come for us."

Her eyes snapped open and she turned to Ruby. "Silver eyes, that which you seek will not be ready for some time. I estimate we have an hour at best before our enemy reaches us."

Ruby nodded slowly, crunching numbers in her head. "And how long did you say you needed?"

"Eight hours."

Casting a look around, Ruby took in her team, the Blackwatch, the colonists coming out of their various hiding places and the dozens of gun emplacements spaced around the buildings. Even without the guns, the whole place was a formidable defence. Any enemy coming at them from the ground would be torn to shreds.

A smile spread over her lips as a plan formed in her mind. "We can give you ten."

Her confidence did nothing to assure the Thorian.

"I pray you can," the living plant said softly, staring out at the wreckage, as if listening to the sound of their enemy through the trees themselves.

And she was. The hellish scream still echoed through the roots of the forest, ringing in her mind like an endless chorus of death.

* * *

 **Yes, I know what some of your going to say and let me assure you that there is action in the next coming chapter. I know that all this dialog and explanation is dull, but the world has to be built. Fortunately I can promise you that the next chapter will be full of action and, maybe, death... actually, yes, death. Lots and lots of it.**

 **Again, not a lot happening here, just dipping into the deeper lore. I will be going in deeper later on, but hopefully I'll be able to balance it out with exciting bits so its not so dull.**

 **Once again, thank you to my beta: Rampant Poultry and thank you for all your reviews. Also, I'd like to thank everyone for helping me hit 500 followers, 262 reviews and over 55,000 views! Thank you so much guys, you don't know how much this means to me.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing here.**


	18. Of Many Battles to Come

There were many things that could brighten a soldier's day on the battlefield. The newest top of the line weapon, the toughest armor at your disposal or real time intel on enemy numbers and positions. Those were all the joys of modern warfare. They made fighting the battles easier and saved more lives than ever before. But for Stela Arterius, her true source of strength came from a little folded up sheet of paper.

It was something she treasured and kept locked in a personal pouch on her armor. To many it would seem like nothing, but to her it meant the world and beyond.

It was a crude crayon drawing of her in full armor. Many of the colors were off and the proportions were all wrong, but it always brought a smile to her face. At the bottom, written in a shaky hand were the words; 'come home safe mommy.'

Warmth blossomed in her chest as she gently folded it up and slipped it back into it's pouch. She loved her five year old son more than anything else and it tore her to pieces each time she had to leave him for a mission. But her duty to the Hierarchy came first before family.

But of course, little Adrian was an Arterius. Duty ran in his blood, and even at a young age he understood why mommy had to leave for a long time during missions. So he had made her this,' to keep her safe', as he always said. She loved him all the more for it and she would do anything to protect him. That included butchering her bastard of a brother Saren.

A scowl replaced her peaceful features as she snatched up her assault rifle and checked it over.

She had known Saren was growing obsessive with... whatever it was before. He could never properly gather this thoughts to say what exactly made him so angry. To him everyone was incompetent, the Council included. She had thought it had been his goal to throw the humans out of the galaxy, but she never imagined that it would come to something like this. Betraying the Hierarchy, his family and trying to set a race of homicidal machines loose in the galaxy.

She may had known Saren her whole life, but she had no idea what possessed him to do something like this!

When word had come out that had turned traitor, Stela had asked if she could personally hunt him down. It was her duty as family, after all. But of course the first human Spectre had been given the job. For a while she resented the Commander for this. Saren was her brother and therefore her responsibility. However, her whole attitude changed when the Primarch himself approached her and asked if she wanted to lead the Blackwatch teams assigned to the Commander's retinue.

Of course she said yes.

But should have known by now that plans rarely went the way they should.

Case in point, jumping through an unknown Relay, landing on an alien city of planetary proportions, finding another layer beneath the crust and now defending a bunch of colonists and their strange plant overlord from Geth that cracked open the surface and now where coming to kill them while they waited for said plant to complete a translation thing for a Prothean vision that Commander had stuck inside her head.

All that just to hunt down her blasted brother.

Stela snarled, slamming a thermal clip into her assault rifle and racked the slide with a deft flick of her wrist. Satisfied, she crouched, planting her back against one of the parapets and slid down to the roof.

"Weapons check," she called out.

Around her, the members of Blackwatch Team 287, codenamed Hawk ran through the motions of checking their firearms. Soon statues' and supplies were reported. No malfunctions or armor breaches to be seen.

That was as it should be. She'd led this team for almost six years, honing their cohesion to perfection. On the battlefield they were ghosts, a spectre of death haunting the land until their mission was complete. Though there wouldn't be much ghosting around here. Defending an outpost was hardly the best place for stealth. But they weren't called the best in the Hierarchy for nothing.

" _Lieutenant, you good?_ " the Commander's voice rang over comms.

"Affirmative," she replied, rising up slightly to look at the next building over where the Commander was standing. "I would say ready to ghost, but I don't think that's applicable here."

" _Ah, catchphrase. Got it._ "

Stela sank back into a crouch, peeking around the parapets and peering through the gaps in the trees around the complex. The viability was terrible, but if she was being perfectly honest this was probably the best position she'd ever defended.

There were seven buildings in total, each one larger than the standard mansion back on Palaven, arranged in a circle. Each one had their roofs connected by a rough bridge, hasty built in the face of the impending attack. From a technical standpoint, the Library, which stood as the top of the circle, was pointed due North. The other marvels of construction curved around the courtyard, connected by a high wall between each one, cutting off all access from the outside.

The Geth had crash landed just about ten kilometers to the southeast. From a tactical standpoint that was perfect. Three of the structures pointed out in that direction, their windows and parapets bristling with guns. Even if it had just been one team, defending this place wouldn't be that hard. The turrets that lined the walls made all the difference. Spaced out evenly, they created countless overlapping fields of fire. Anything that wandered into their sights would die instantly, filled with more holes than the plot of a bad movie.

Top it off with the second squad of Blackwatch, the Commander's team and the dozens of colonist that joined them in the fight for their new home... just what were the Geth thinking?

This place was already a fortress on its own, but add on the number of eager defenders and there was no way the Geth could take them. They hadn't seen any drop ships take off or heard any heavy artillery moving through the thick foliage, so just how did the Geth think they could take them on? A head on attack from the ground was suicide, they had to know that by now. But if they were that certain they could somehow scale the walls then this would be a walk in the park.

She crushed that thought before it could grow.

Yes, this might be the easiest defence mission ever, but she couldn't afford to get overconfident. That was how you made mistakes and she couldn't let it happen now.

"Anything?" she asked, looking over to her second in command.

"Negative," he replied, peering through the scope of his sniper rifle to the forest beyond. "Visibility is terrible. How the hell am I supposed to work in this?"

"Make it work." She looked over to where the other Blackwatch team was deployed. "Falcon, report."

" _Blind,_ " came the grunted reply. " _Damn trees. Give me a spirits damned city any day._ "

There was a moment of silence before the comms opened again. " _Fuck, that ain't right._ "

Taking a wild guess, Stela looked down into the Courtyard and saw the three vehicles they brought with them driving in tight circle around the central statue as their turrets slowly rotated.

Of course she had been told about the Thorian, but it was easy to disregard the fact that it was a living AI due to its appearance alone. Before now the plant had felt like a regular VIP, but now it was impossible to ignore the computer like tendencies. For one, taking direct control of their APCs. She'd hacked through the protective software before putting the vehicles through their paces.

It was disconcerting to see them driving in perfect synchronization, especially when you knew that there was no one at the controls.

She'd argued against it of course, but the Commander had finally say in the matter. They needed the Thorian's help, she was the one controlling the turrets after all. But that part was manageable, at least. Handing over control of their armor support was another matter entirely. It also didn't help her case that they needed every gun they had on the wall and couldn't spare the manpower to drive them anyway. Not that they could use them anyway. They were stuck inside the courtyard and would only be used if the Geth somehow managed to breach the walls.

From a tactical standpoint it was a solid plan, but Stela was still wary of an AI handling their armor support, no matter how organic it may be.

But it did give them the man power they needed. Each of the three buildings facing the enemy had one squad each. Stela had taken Hawk and garrisoned the one on the left, Falcon, the other Blackwatch team, had taken the left and the Commander occupied the one in the middle. Backing them up were almost twenty five colonist in their strange bone-like armor. They may only have had the weapons they managed to save from Zhu's Hope, but firepower was firepower. Enough bug bites could bring down giant and bullets held much the same principle.

Speaking of the Commander, when Stela spared her a glance, she was talking very adamantly with the lone Asari on her team, Doctor T'soni if she remember correctly. No doubt she was going over the upcoming action, warning the doctor about what could happen.

Looking at her, Stela scoffed. The Asari was greener than the Thorian when it came to war and she didn't belong here in a combat zone. She knew why Rose had brought her along, but keeping her here when the shooting was about to start? What was she thinking?

Actually, that was a very good question. Even since she'd met with the Thorian alone the Commander had been... distant. She'd handled the deployment just fine, but it was clear to everyone that her mind was on a different planet entirely.

Now just what had the Thorian told her to get her like that?

"Movement," the call went over comms. Instantly everyone was on high alert. Every eye, gun and turret trained on the gaps in the tree line.

" _Copy,_ " came the Commander's voice. " _Where?_ "

"Dead ahead. Just caught a flash of something... wait, there it is again."

Stela aimed down her sights, focusing on the targeted area. As she did so she noticed a small rumbling sound. It wasn't like the small earthquakes from before or the shock of the Geth punching open the crust, instead it sounded and felt like a stampede of animals tearing through the underbrush. But that couldn't be the Geth.

She thrust that thought away as the same flash of movement reported caught her eye. It was a grayish blue mass, charging around the larger trees at it barrelled towards them.

Her grip tightened around the trigger, eagerly waiting to put a hole through any Geth that came.

Then the form broke from the treeline before stopping and staring up at the fortifications. Stela paused, confused for a moment.

That wasn't a Geth.

Instead, a lone Krogan stood, looking balefully up at them. As she looked closer, Stela realized with dread what it really was.

She'd read reports of Husks before. Corpses brought back to some twisted resemblance of life through technology. But those were only human husks, but the Krogan standing before them matched the description perfectly.

Its naked skin had turned a pale grey, sickly implants and tubes wormed their way through it's thick hide. Thick bone plates covered its form, covered with even more implants. A walking tank if ever she saw one. The Krogan husk looked over the defences, then its eyes locked on the Commander. It threw back it's head and let out a moaning roar that sounded like the dead rising from the grave.

A thunderous boom shook the air and the Krogan's head exploded as the high calibre round from Crescent Rose turned it's mass into a bloody mist.

The Krogan staggered, arms pinwheeling through the air. Then to her horror, the monster righted itself, an awful moaning sound coming from the ruined stump of its head. It took a single step forward before another round passed through its heart and knocked it to the ground, dead.

The battlefield was silent as the defenders processed this. Krogan husks, each one harder to kill then a regular Krogan.

Then Stela remembered the rumbling sound from before, growing louder with each second and realized with dread what it was.

She could barely shout at warning before the treeline exploded with motion. Twisted forms charged through the underbrush as hundreds of the monstrous husks swarmed out, their undead eyes set on the walls blocking their path.

The defender's weapons roared as they launched their deadly payload. The tiny slivers of metal flying at a fraction of the speed of light struck home, pinging off the thick armored plates of the Husks, but where the armor was minimal they tore through the rotten flesh like wet paper.

The first wave staggered, reeling from the incoming fire but were immediately shoved aside by the rest of the charging horde and were lost in the throng before the defenders could finish the job.

With an ominous sound of gears winding up the turrets finally let loose on the horde, adding their own flaming retribution to the storm raining down on the monsters below.

Again the Husks staggered, but before Stela could line up a killing shot on one of them it was instantly swept away by the others and lost in a throng of bodies.

She cursed as she picked out another target, worry quickly taking root inside her.

Had they killed anything yet? It was impossible to tell, there were just too many. Every wound they made was lost in the mass of bodies and still they kept on coming.

No matter how much lead was poured into them the husks kept coming, swarming from the treeline like roaches. The defenders were powerless as the wave slammed into the wall, shaking the buildings to the foundations, roaring their blood lust to the heavens. Though the turrets ripped into them, nothing seemed to slow the thundering mass of abominations. They seemed impervious to pain, ignoring any injury no matter how fatal until their bodies couldn't support them anymore.

For the first time in her whole career, Stela desperately wished she were fighting something else. Geth, even regular Krogan you could kill, but these could shrug of anything. They never seemed to die!

As she frantically ejected another spent thermal clip and resumed firing, she heard more turrets down the wall opening up. Panic spiked through her for an instant before she crushed it. Were they being flanked?

The turrets had started firing, but not at any enemy. Instead, a number of the machines further down were firing non-stop at the trunk of a gigantic tree, sawing through the ancient wood with ruthless efficiency.

Their purpose was soon made clear as the massive trunk let out a tremendous groan, listing to the side as it started to fall.

Stela's eyes widened as she watched, a feeling of dread settling over her that seemed to come from the deepest part of her being, even as the Krogan charged on.

But the tree wasn't falling at them. The turrets had sawed through it just right, its course perfectly calculated and it landed with a thunderous boom that shook the planet to its core, crushing hundreds of the monsters beneath it.

Stela stumbled, falling to her knees in the face of the aftershock, her ears ringing with the noise. The men of her squad were stumbling around like drunks, fighting to keep their balance. Most of the colonists were on the ground, trying to stagger to their feet.

She watched them for a moment, then shook off the effects and pulled herself up with the help of the parapet.

Whatever doubts she had about the Thorian were washed away, now she was just thankful for the living AI's intervention.

The tree was huge, hundreds of meters tall and almost thirty thick. Lying on it's side it formed a high wall blocking off the horde streaming from the forest. The Husks would have to go around to get to them, but that was something they could work with.

But then a rotting hand reached up over the top of the fallen monarch of the forest, gripping the ancient bark as a twisted face snarled at them.

A turret fired and the Krogan's head turned into a bloody mist, the body falling away behind the trunk.

Then more clawed their way over and the turrets opened fire in earnest, putting them down as they poked their heads over like a carnival game.

They were crawling over the trunk, Stela realized as dozens of the abominations fell back dead, only to be replaced by two more for each one they killed. But the tree was doing a fantastic job of staggering the rush of monsters. It was just enough that the turrets could pick them off one by one as they poked their heads over.

The situation was under control, but still the feeling on absolute dread continued. It set her teeth on edge, even as she tried to figure out what was causing it, beside the whole madness of it all.

Then a thought occurred to her.

The tree had taken care of the incoming hostiles, but what about the ones already at the walls?

Grabbing her rifle she looked over the parapet only to wrench her head back as a clawed hand reached for her. She stumbled back, but one glance had been enough to rekindle the dread anew.

The abominations were scaling the wall, crawling over each other like a human ladder, climbing higher and higher until a grotesque face peeked over the battlements and roared at her.

Pure instinct and a rush of sudden fear snapped her rifle up and drilled the monster in the head before it rise. Even as it fell, more claws gripped the edge of the parapet, bringing more Husks with them.

"SHOTGUNS!" she screamed as the Husks started to swarm onto the rooftop.

Her call came too late.

A Turian closest to the battlements was grabbed and yanked off his feet and pulled over the edge, screaming all the way. His cries were soon lost among the roars of the Krogan horde and wet snap of tearing flesh.

The rest of her team and the Colonists with them were far enough away to avoid the same fate. Shotguns were quickly drawn and their deep booms soon filled the air.

Krogan climbing over were blown back in a bloody spray while the ones on the roof were put down ruthlessly as hot lead tore through their bone armor and rotting flesh. In return a Krogan managed to charge through the firestorm, heedless of the bullets tearing through it and raked its claws across another of the Blackwatch, tearing through armor, carapace and ribcage like a hot knife through butter.

Even as the Turian breathed his last, the beast was put down with a vengeance.

More crested the parapets, but the powerful range of the shotguns couldn't be bested.

Finally they stopped. They had killed enough that the horde below no longer had the man power to climb over. Stela risked a glance down and confirmed that they were swarming a few meters down in a churning mass, twisted hands reaching up for her.

She fired, blasting the head off another as she withdrew. The turrets were stilling holding the line. Hundreds lay dead on ground, but more were crawling over in greater numbers. Using their own dead as a ladder no doubt. But it gave them time to assess their losses.

It was better than she had thought.

Three colonists lay dead, their bodies broken by blunt trauma, or being left to bleed out after an arm was torn out. Two of her Blackwatch had been killed as well, but their numbers were still strong. She didn't know about the Commander's unit and Falcon, but they couldn't be much worse.

That fact should have reassured her, but fear and dread still clutched at her heart. No matter how hard she tried to force it away it still remained to poison her mind.

Something was coming.

"Get any wounds checked out!" she ordered, looking over her men, hoping the fear didn't show in her voice. "They'll be on us in a minute. We need to-"

A scream rent the air, driving any previous thoughts out her head as pure, unadulterated terror gripped her heart. The noise itself seemed to claw at her ears, tearing into her very mind with a thousand whispering voices.

Crying out in agony she fell to her knees, clutching at her ears, trying to block out the maddening sound. The others around her were in no better shape.

Then something jumped over the fallen log, reaching higher than any normal creature possibly could and landed in a cloud of dust before the wall.

It was a Krogan, that much was obvious, but its skin had turned a midnight black. A web of twisting implants covered its form, glowing an eery blue against the pitch blackness of its hide. Its claw like hands were tipped by razor sharp points that could cut through a tank with ease. Its very presence weighed on her shoulders, stifling her mind in absolute fear.

Then it slowly lifted its head and Stela's breath caught in her throat.

Its eyes were endless pits, stretching on into infinity. And burning in those pits were two malevolent points of light, burning with a hatred unthinkable to morals.

In the mere instant she saw them... she knew that she had just seen death itself. Pure terror filled her.

Then the true abomination opened it's mouth unnaturally wide and screamed.

-Linebreak-

Crescent Rose dropped from nerveless fingers as Ruby clutched at her ears, trying to block out the hellish noise.

Her team wasn't fairing any better. Garrus, Tali, even the mighty Wrex had fallen to their knees, their faces warped in terror. The colonists with them were even worse, writhing on the ground and trying to drowned out the nightmare with their own cries of pain. But nothing they did could work. Fear filled the air like a fog, drowning them in it's depths.

As if in response the turrets picked up speed, dropping targets faster than the eye could follow as they tried to make up for the incapacitated men.

Gritting her teeth and fighting the urge to run away screaming, Ruby grabbed her pistol and levelled it at the monster below them, letting loose a flurry of shots. They hit home and the Screamer's strange barrier flickered as it effortlessly stopped them in their tracks.

No, not a barrier... Aura.

Looking back at what the Thorian had told her and what she had already seen, Ruby knew that there was nothing else it could be.

The knowledge only sparked a new thrill of terror inside her.

But her bid was successful. As the shots landed the Screamer snapped its mouth shut, merciful silencing its screech as its endless eyes locked on her.

Trade one monster for another it seemed.

Before she could fire again the Screamer lept high into the air, landing with a cloud of dust on the roof. Whispers started clawing at the edges of her mind, nibbling away at her thoughts like rats.

But she had no time to think as the Screamer pounced. She dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the razor sharp claws at they sunk into the metal roof like soft cheese.

The monster hissed, more annoyed than angry that its target had escaped and yanked its claws free. The pistol barked in Ruby's hands, her aim unhindered by the crippling haze of fear in the air, landing shot after shot on it's head. Its Aura barely even flickered as it effortlessly turned the bullets away.

This wasn't working. She needed the fire power of Crescent Rose.

With another shriek the Krogan Screamer lunged. Her newly named Semblance activated and she darted away in a flurry of rose petals to the edge of the roof as the monster swiped at empty air.

Now only that she had some distance did she risk a look around for her weapon. After a quick scan, she groaned as she saw that Crescent Rose lay in the dead center of the roof, halfway between her and the Screamer. Behind the monster she could see the turrets beginning to fail. Without the support of the men, the snarling mass of Husks was too much to handle. More were streaming over the fallen log every second and it was all the turrets could do to stem the flow to a trickle. But it would only be a matter of time before they had enough numbers to scale the wall again.

The Screamer had risen, standing a half crouch and examining her with it's ghastly eyes, hissing all the while. The whispers clawed at her ears, promising a slow and painful death, if she was lucky.

Then movement caught her attention and she realized with horror that the Screamer stood right in the middle of her fallen team and the colonists. Already they were beginning to rise, trying to shake off the terror they felt.

If the Screamer attacked them now... she didn't want to think about it.

She fired again, hitting the Screamer dead between the eyes.

It did nothing to the monster, but the other snapped to alertness as the shots cracked in the air. Then they saw the Screamer in their midst and froze in panic.

"Go!" Ruby screamed at them, squeezing the trigger as fast as she could, hoping to lure the beast away.

With a roar it charged, weaving from side to side with unnatural speed and grace as danced around her shots. She barely rolled out of the way in time, dodging the claws as they tore their way through the air.

But her plan had worked. With the Screamer gone the others started running, pulling the wounded away with them to other rooftops.

That was all she managed to catch as she dodged again in a burst of rose petals, then turning and firing into the Screamer's exposed back. It whirled around and swiped at her. She ducked and felt the wind as the claw's missed her exposed head by an inch. A few strands of severed hair fell to the ground as she darted away again to the edge of the roof.

Through the maelstrom of fear in her mind, a plan began to form. Keep dodging, get back Crescent Rose, whittle it down with bug bites and then go in for the kill. It was simple and the only thing she could do by herself. Her Semblance was the only thing right now that gave her an edge against the abomination and she wouldn't ask the others to throw away their lives for a distraction.

The Screamer hissed and lunged again, but this time she was ready and rolled out of the way.

She had lured it to the edge of the roof, the furthest point away from Crescent Rose, just as she wanted. She came out of the roll and pushed off, vanishing in a burst of petals as she raced towards her weapon, picked it up and turned to face the monster with a new sense of confidence.

That feeling died in her chest, along with any chance at life.

The Screamer had recovered faster than she thought. It seemed to know what she had been going for all along and lept at her, claws outstretched. It was on her before she could react and drove it's claws into her gut.

Ruby gasped, her whole body frozen in shock as the metal pierced her skin, tearing through her armor like paper and buried themselves in her stomach. The metal burned inside her like a sun, but somehow it felt as cold as space.

The Screamer hissed in satisfaction as blood poured from the holes in her belly, down it's hand and onto the floor. The whispers grew louder against her thoughts, slowly engulfing her mind as a deep cold settled over her body. She was... dying.

For some reason that fact didn't bother her. Her body was slowly going numb as all feeling fled, the whispers changing pitch as if lulling her into sleep, pulling her soul deeper into itself.

She knew that was wrong, but it was so hard to fight. She was tired, growing colder with each passing second. She wanted to sleep... to sleep and never wake up... she wanted... wanted...

A roar sounded on the very edge of hearing, dull and distant.

Through darkening eyes she saw Wrex bull rushing the Screamer, his cry equal parts rage, desperation and fear. The conflict of emotions was visible on his face, pale in the face of the terrifying foe.

The Screamer hissed in annoyance and swatted him aside like a fly, sending the Krogan through a parapet and tumbling off the roof with the sicking crack of breaking bone.

Then the world started to blur, sounds, sights and smells fading altogether as death closed in. Then just as suddenly everything snapped back into focus. The pain in her gut was indescribable and her whole body tingled. But if she could feel pain, then she wasn't dead yet.

But with this new found clarity came the realization that she was flying. The Screamer had thrown her clear off the roof as it turned to face a new threat.

Before she could do anything to guide her flightpath her back slammed against the statue in the middle of the courtyard. The air was driven from her lungs and her vision blurred as agony erupted down her spine, merging mercilessly with the pain her gut. It was too much for her to bare. What strength she had left vanished as she slid off the unwieldy stone and fell to the ground far below.

She never felt the impact as her legs folded beneath her. Her head cracked against the grey paving stones as she fell... but she couldn't feel a thing. Everything hurt, even her soul was reeling in shock from what had just happened.

But the Screamer... she had to help...

The world swam as she tried to push herself up, half blinded from pain. It was only through sheer willpower that she managed to get her knees beneath her, fighting for every twitch of her muscles. Slowly, her vision started to clear, and with it came a horrible sight.

Wrex lay on the ground, unmoving. The paving stones beneath him had cracked under his weight from the impact. His arms and legs were stretched out awkwardly, each having more joints than they should. His head lulled to the side, eyes closed as pool of blood slowly formed around it.

Ruby stared, horrified. He couldn't be dead... he couldn't. He was too strong for that. In her mind's eye she replayed the Screamer swatting him aside as she hung helpless in it's grasp. He'd been trying to save her, just like he did back on Therium.

Anger slowly overtook her horror. Even the fear the Screamer inspired seemed weak in comparison to the rage building inside her. They had just killed her friend, and she would make them pay. Her eyes burned, seemingly in agreement.

A scream tore her eyes from the body to the rooftop. The others had come back to try and save her, fighting through the stifling aura of fear around the Screamer. Backed by some colonists, they were a formidable force. But the Screamer was something else entirely.

It screeched, as if excited, then lept at the group.

A colonist in it's path was torn to pieces, the creature's claws tearing through him like paper. A causal swipe sent another flying off the roof into the snarling mass of Krogan Husks outside. Then it converged on her team.

Liara was in the lead by unfortunate coincidence, and as the Screamer pounced at her she stumbled, tripping over her own feet in a despite bid to run.

It never gave her the chance.

As she fell, the Screamer lifted a foot and stomped on her knee. The crack of bone could be heard everywhere in the compound as the joint shattered beyond repair. The Asari's scream of pain and terror lasted only for a second before she couldn't take anymore and mercifully blacked out as the Screamer leaned in for the kill.

Before it could, Ashley rushed in, jamming her drawn shotgun against its head and fired. The monster merely blinked at her as the deadly rounds deflected harmlessly against its Aura. In response it slashed upward, claws flashing in the light.

Ashley staggered back, the two halves of the shotgun falling to the ground as she stared dumbly at the stump of her severed right arm.

The rage was building, a burning tempest growing inside as Ruby watched the beast casually put the marine out of her misery with a solid punch which sent her crashing into the parapet like a rag doll. Her eyes burned in their sockets as she pushed herself up, fighting the torment of her injuries.

Now only Kaidan, Tali and Garrus stood against the monster, shaking in their boots in it's presence.

With a sickening screech of delight the abomination charged. Instantly their guns opened up, firing fruitlessly into it's Aura. Then it was among them.

Garrus was launched back by a punch in the chest, sending him flying through the air where he landed heavily on the next building over.

Kaidan glowed with biotic energy, summoning his inner power for an attack. The Screamer's claws flashed and he fell to the ground convulsing, deep, bloody furrows carved in his chestplate.

It was than Tali realized that she was the last one left. The Quarian girl turned to run, only to receive a claw to the back for her troubles, tearing through her suit and sending her flying into the parapet. She hit face first, her faceplate shattering into pieces and letting out a torrent of Quarian blood as the body went limp against the metal.

The rage burned hotter, drowning out the Screamer's aura of fear as Ruby stood. All pain was gone, overpowered by her simmering anger. In her mind the deaths of her friends replayed over and over again, fuelling her rage. The Screamer had taken them from her, her team, the people that she cared for and swore to herself to keep safe.

A calm settled over her, the rage reaching a peak as it condensed itself into a solid bar of resolution. Pure and utter rage bound by focus and clarity.

It. Would. Die.

Her eyes burned in agreement.

Crescent Rose lay a few meters away, undamaged from her forced flight. She snatched it up, ignoring the blood pouring from the holes in her stomach. Pain and fear were a distant memory as she met the terrifying eyes of the Screamer looking down upon her.

The abomination stood on the edge of the roof high above, looking down on her with contempt. She met it's gaze evenly, the terror it inspired was a nothing but a passing thought in the face of her rage.

"You want me," she growled, teeth clenched.

The Screamer let out another fell screech in answer.

Crescent Rose jumped in her hands, the weapon unfolding into a deadly scythe. The blade gleamed in the light, as if eager for blood.

"You want me?" she repeated, twirling the blade before settling into a ready stance and roaring: "COME AND GET ME!"

The Screamer jumped off the roof, cratering the ground as it landed. It glared at her murderously, then lept, claws outstretched and was knocked aside as a Falco came out of nowhere and rammed the abomination.

Even through her rage Ruby blinked at the randomness, but she saw the purpose soon enough.

Screaming in rage, the mutated husk ripped into the vehicle, its claws tearing through the metal like soft cheese. But the damage had been done. Its Aura was beginning to flicker, straining under the force of the collision.

When the Screamer at last tore itself free from the hood of the Falco, the APC looked like a bomb had gone off inside, pealing it open like a fruit. But before it could take another step the second Falco drove out of nowhere and attempted the same.

Leaping out of the way the Screamer smashed it aside, sending the vehicle skidding away with a large dent in it's side. Before it could press on the boom of the Rose-Mobile's tri-barrelled gun echoed through the air as the Screamer was engulfed in an explosion. A sound like shattering glass broke through the smoke, followed by the Husk's screech of pain as it's Aura finally gave out.

A high explosive round. The cannon wouldn't be able to fire for another fifteen seconds, more than enough time for the monster to recover.

Ruby's hands tightened around Crescent Rose's hilt, her whole body tensing.

Now.

With a roar of anger she pulled the trigger, the recoil propelling her forward with a burst of rose petals as her Semblance activated, charging the monster head on.

The Screamer staggered out of the smoky haze left from the cannon shot, only to see Ruby flying towards it, her shining blade aimed at it's neck. It's arm shot out, claws turning aside the deadly steel, sparks flying as the two made contact.

Growling, Ruby swung again, her body flowing with the movement with an ease born of years of practice. Again the Screamer turned the blow aside, hissing in anger.

For all its size, the Screamer was quicker on its feet than she anticipated, dancing around as it parried Crescent Rose again and again. Its claws proved more than effective against the silver blade, sparks flying whenever the two made contact.

But for all its speed it couldn't match Ruby's skill as she wove a web of flashing steel around her, parrying a slash before returning the favor.

It all felt so... natural. Even as she was fighting for her life, she couldn't help but relish in the breakneck combat. Crescent Rose could kill with one stroke and rarely did anyone survive, and if they did, none could match her in QCQ for a duel. But this... having an opponent who could match her speed and weapon to give her an even fight was something she deeply missed.

The Screamer suddenly leaned back, then launched its head forward in a headbutt. She barely caught the action in time, firing Crescent Rose and letting the recoil push her out of the way. She skidded along the courtyard for a few meters, then dug her feet into the ground and threw herself back into the fray with a battle cry.

Up, down, left, right, the blows rained down on the abomination, filling the air with the ring of steel. It parried, but a few managed to slip past it's guard and leave deep gashes in its body. Still it fought on, black gore dripping from it's wounds, mixing with her own blood spilling on the ground. But neither of them cared, too focused on eradicating the other from existence.

Through her anger and desire to destroy the abomination for murdering her friends, something else began to dawn on her.

This fight, against a force of darkness... it made her feel like a Huntress again.

Then the Husk stumbled and Ruby seized the opportunity, slashing at its legs with a roar. The blade cut through the limbs like rotten wood and the monster screeched in pain, its legs coming apart beneath it as it collapsed to the ground, writhing.

Raising Crescent Rose high overhead she brought it down hard on its head. The silver blade pierced through its skull and carried on deeper into its chest.

The Screamer froze, a whimpering sound gurgling up from its throat as the wound finally registered on its ruined brain. Even then it seemed to deny the fact that it was dead. Its mouth slowly began to open to release one finally hideous cry upon the world.

Ruby just snarled and pulled the trigger.

With a thunderous boom Crescent Rose fired, the recoil pulling the blade through the Husk's ruined body as it tore itself free. The Screamer hung there for a moment, then fell over, landing heavily on the paving stones, its ruined body barely holding together.

Ruby stood over the corpse, her whole body shaking. The fight had left her exhausted, sheer willpower and adrenaline were the only things keeping her on her feet. The crippling aura of fear was gone, but her rage still burned as bright as a bonfire. The demise of her friends replaying behind her eyes as she looked down on the Screamer's twisted face.

She was too late... they were gone...

A roar suddenly shook her out of her misery. The turrets had finally failed. The horde of Krogan Husks proving too much for them to keep in check. Already dozens were swarming over the wall, tearing the turrets to pieces. What colonists and Blackwatch remained on the wall were running for their lives, but the Husks seemed to ignore them. Instead the horde ran past them, jumping over the parapet and into the courtyard, their undead eyes locked on her.

Ruby's jaw clenched. The Screamer had failed to kill her, and now the common grunts had come to finish the job.

Crescent Rose twirled in her hands as she settled into position.

Let them come.

With a torrent of hideous moans the first wave of husks charged. Unperturbed, Ruby glared at them, her eyes burning like coals at the sight of them. Then she vanished in a cloud of rose petals and the first line of husks collapsed, their bodies cleaved in half at the waist.

Like a reaper in a field of wheat, Ruby continued her deadly work. Her feet pounded against the ground as she darted back and forth, too fast for the monster to keep track of. Crescent Rose blurred through the air, moving faster than lightning as it sliced through rotten flesh with ease. But no matter how many died another jumped in to take its place.

The courtyard was soon littered with bodies and dusted with a light covering of rose petals. Hundreds of husks lay dead, each missing a head or bisected completely. But her streak couldn't go on forever.

At last Ruby fell to her knees and skidded to a halt just beneath the giant statue in the middle of the courtyard. Her legs ached and her breath came in short painful gasps. She leaned against the statue, panting. Her body was spent, but her mind was screaming at her to get up.

The Husks were closing in, forming a circle of snarling hatred around her. She watched them, her eyes burning to the point of being painful, even through her rage. She couldn't give in now.

With a grunt she pushed herself back onto her feet, her body screaming from the effort and hefted Crescent Rose one finally time.

With a roar a Husk lept at her. She clumsily dodged to the side, slashing through its waist.

Then the dam broke and the mob charged in unison, screaming for her blood.

Then the world blurred around her, each second becoming an eternity. She sidestepped and slashed through a Husk's legs, narrowly avoiding the frenzied swipe of another.

It was madness. There were too many, all swarming around her as Crescent Rose flashed in the light, waiting for their turn to meet the deadly steel. But still she fought on, clawing her way through the horde trying to steal her life away.

A pile of bodies began to grow around her as one by one the Husks met their demise. She saw nothing but the next Husk, felt nothing other than the hilt of her scythe and knew nothing more than the rage that consumed her entire being. Each kill empowered her, like a fire burning in the depths of her soul that relished in the death of these abominations.

But it wasn't revenge. Oh no, revenge couldn't do things like this.

It was like what had happened on Therium, protecting her from the screamer. Her Aura was flaring, growing inside her with each monster she vanquished, filling her with new strength. That power began to build inside her, a tangible feeling that swelled with each passing second and settled at a single point behind her eyes, waiting to be unleashed on the world.

Her eyes burned, glowing in their sockets as thin trails of smoke rose from the soldering orbs.

They. Would all. d...

The world suddenly flashed, the twisted horde of husks vanishing for a fraction of second, replaced by a ruined colony before snapping back into focus.

Ruby recoiled, even as she slashed another husk in two. But the husk wasn't there anymore. Instead a young girl hung in the air, her body flying apart in a spray of blood.

No.

Another husk ran at it her, only to be replaced by a young boy, cut down by her blade.

With that her mind shattered and the fight descended into a nightmare. Reality blending with the terrible memories of Agaus that she could never forget, brought to life by her PTSD.

Crescent Rose grew as heavy as a mountain. Each blow she struck summoning up another innocent death caused by the weapon from the depths of mind. She was forced to watch as one by one the mindless horde turned into the lost colony of Agaus, unable to stop as she cut them down one by one.

Her mind was in tumult, screaming in horror at the atrocities she committed and begged for them to stop. But her ingrained training and rage fought on, guiding Crescent Rose even as she tried to drop it. She couldn't bare to watch and wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and cry as she watched a child, no older than five die by her hand.

But if she did, she would die.

This logic fought through her jumbled emotions and drove her on, but it couldn't stop what she was seeing. Tears poured down her cheeks as she watched dozens of men, woman and children die, unable to see the husks they represented. The pain and guilt their deaths caused built up inside her, mixing with her rage and sending her mind into frenzy.

Make it stop. Just make it stop!

Then the dam behind her eyes broke.

Power rushed out of her, flowing from her eyes like a river as they burned like the sun. Her vision turned silver and her body went numb, her senses going dark as power radiated from her very being.

Then it was over, as quickly as it had begun.

Ruby fell to her knees, all strength, will and anger gone as the power faded. Crescent Rose slipped from nerveless fingers, unable to hold the weapon for all the pain it brought on her conscious.

She waited for death, tears flowing down her face as the nightmare of Agaus replayed over and over again. She deserved it for all she'd done.

But death never came.

Slowly her vision cleared and she looked around.

Nothing remained of the husks, save for the piles of ashes that filled the courtyard.

It was over.

She stared numbly, sluggishly trying to process what had just happened.

Her Aura had done... something. Or had it been her Aura at all? The rush of power had left her completely drained, even trying to remember the frenzy of battle left her feeling weak. She wanted to sleep... just lie down and sleep...

But her hardened N7 instincts screamed at her to get up, that something was coming. She ignored it, too tired to lift a finger. The pain of her wounds were coming back as the holes in her stomach throbbed in agony. Her vision swam as the blood loss finally registered on her.

She needed a medic, or better yet a...

A hand clamped down her shoulder.

Her vision snapped into focus as adrenaline flooded her veins, every worst case scenario going through her head and came to the most likely conclusion: A husk had survived.

Mustering the last dregs of her strength, Ruby grabbed Crescent Rose and swung. The blunt end of the weapon tripped up her attacker and she jumped to her feet, bringing down the blade for the death blow.

But as her target appeared, time seemed to slow as the scythe descended and Ruby looked on in horror, wondering if she was still trapped in her nightmare.

Garrus hung in the air before her, tripped up by her swipe.

Her joy and relief that one of her team survived the Screamer was drowned out by her horror. Garrus... it was Garrus who had startled her. The nightmare of Agaus came back, the memory of the young marine who she killed coming back to haunt her.

She didn't mean it, she never meant to kill him, but... but...

Ruby was forced to watch as the blade descended towards the Turian's chest, continuing it's murderous journey with agonizing slowness. She fought with her body, crying and begging for it to stop. She couldn't do this again. The blood of Agaus already haunted her, all the death she caused... she couldn't kill Garrus too!

Helplessly she watched as the tip of the blade touched his armor. She begged for it to hold, even for just a moment. But nothing could stop it's bloody course as it carved through the Turian's Crisis VIII armor, between his ribs, ripping open his lungs before exploding out his back with a spray of blood.

Then something in his body caught on the blade and drove him to the ground, pinning him to the paving stones with a sharp crack.

Deafening silence filled the courtyard.

She stared, unwilling to believe what just happened. This was a nightmare. She was hallucinating... she couldn't have done this... she couldn't have.

But the blood spilling onto the ground was real enough.

As the terrible realization dawned on her, Ruby backed away. She took a step, stumbled, then fell, staring in shock at what she'd done.

The Turian was trembling, hands feebly grasping at the blade impaled in his chest. He let out a ragged gasp, then coughed up a glob of blue blood.

"No," Ruby gasped, shoving herself away from the growing pool of blood. She wanted to look away, to deny what she'd just done. "No no no..."

It couldn't have happened... it was Agaus all over again. Her team, her friends... all her fault.

Tears leaked out of the corner of her eyes as she choked back a sob. What had she done?

Garrus stared blackly at the ceiling high above them, the erratic rising and falling of his chest beginning to slow.

She couldn't take it anymore.

She crawled forward, beginning to cry in earnest as she cradled the dying Turian's head in her lap.

"I'm sorry," she whispered through her sobs, tears leaking onto his slack face. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Her sobbing apology repeated, falling uselessly on the dying Turian's ears. It was all her fault, and there was nothing she could do. Her own wounds throbbed, the holes in her stomach gushing anew. The two colors of blood mixing on the paving stones.

The courtyard was dead silent. Nothing could hide Garrus' last dying breathes and Ruby's heartbroken sobs.

* * *

 **Updated: May 24, 2017: Fixed the 40 'it's' errors.**

* * *

 **...**

 **...Yes that did just happen. Will Garrus survive? Who knows? Wait till next time.**

 **And yes, I know what I said a while ago, content all through March. Well things happened and... well, I got side tracked. One of my coworkers was fired a while ago and he made some threats that, knowing him, he might just have carry out. It didn't help when I learned he already had a police record, don't know what it was for, something drug related maybe, but it was still shocking. Top it off with my grandpa diagnosed with cancer... well, its been difficult for me to stay focused. But here it is, the newest chapter with a thrilling cliffhanger at the end.**

 **Who will survive? Who will die? And who will get left behind? Bet you never expected this, huh?**

 **If the Reaper ground forces are this powerful then the galaxy is gonna need to get their asses in gear and Ruby is going to need to step it up a notch.**

 **Until next time, have a great spring!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not mass effect or Rwby. Please don't sue me!**


	19. Aftermath

Death was the only true certainty in life. There was no escaping it, no way to bargain and no way to outrun it. Death came for all in the end.

As Garrus Vakarian lay dying, the last dregs of life flowing from his veins, death came to claim another victim. Above him, Ruby cried, tears flowing down her face as she held the body close. She didn't beg for a miracle, for she knew nothing could save the Turian now. All she wanted was forgiveness... from him, from her ruined conscience... just something.

She was sorry. But no matter how many times her apology repeated, it couldn't quench the guilt inside her. All she could do was cry to her dying friend, begging for forgiveness he could never give.

But the Turian couldn't hear her, too far gone down death's road... but something else did.

Beneath her feet, deep inside the planet's core, something stirred, looking up to the surface. It saw the lone Silver Eyed human cradling the dying Turian and felt her regret. And for the first time in forever, the being contained inside the planet felt something different: Empathy.

The lone human may be strong, but so much rode on her shoulders and it only took a straw to break the camel's back. Would she recover from this? Fight on through the pain to the destiny that was given her?

Maybe... but this was too much of a risk to take.

The Turian would live.

From the planet's core, thin tendrils of pure Aura energy wormed their way through the hard earth, heading up to the surface. They wrapped themselves around the dying man, invisible to the naked eye, encapsulating him in a sphere of pure power, bound by the planet's will. Death was held at bay. It's own power supplementing the Turian with the will to live, gently bringing his body back from the brink.

It wasn't a miracle, and there was no majestic resurrection. In fact, to the outside world nothing happened at all. But the Turian lived on, his life held in place by the will of a god until its servant could fully save him.

As an afterthought, more tendrils came up, wrapping around the other members of Silver Eye's team, protecting them from the worst of their injuries.

They would all live, and they would continue on their quest until her destiny could be achieved. The Rose couldn't do it alone and she would need them. It's gift to her. But Gaia also needed to give her something else. Something withheld from her since the day they had dropped her in this cursed place.

Some had called taking it away a terrible idea, but it had been necessary at the time. Now that the threat had passed, Gaia would gladly restore what had been taken from her.

After all, how could he forget one of his last children?

-Linebreak-

For once, Ruby missed the steady beeping of a heart monitor. Even though it was a nightmare to listen to, hearing the life on the other side hold on or flicker out like a dying candle. Both hope and despair rolled into one infernal device.

Oh how she missed it. Anything better than watching this.

Garrus hung in the bio-tube, suspended in a thick fluid that resembled tree sap. His eyes were closed and his mandibles twitched weakly, the only real sign that he was still alive. A number of tubes were shoved down his throat, feeding oxygen and other necessities directly into his brain, blood stream and other organs. He was butt naked, an awkward sight to be sure, but it also didn't hide the damage she'd caused.

Ruby pressed her shaking hand against the glass. Her eyes watering as her lower lip trembled.

Now that she could see it clearly, the true scope of what she'd done was laid bare before her.

Crescent Rose had cleaved open the unfortunate Turian, leaving a long gash at the bottom of his rib cage that sliced clean through the right side of his chest. His lung was exposed as were the bundles of muscle severed by the massive blade. But for all the damage, this was actually a best cast scenario. His lung had taken most of the damage, saving the other vital organs. His spine, though it had been nicked, was still whole. There were still shards of bone and carapace embedded in his flesh, but those could be easily removed.

Again, guilt welled up inside her.

It was only by some miracle that Garrus survived. How, she didn't know... but she was thankful none the less. But that didn't make handling it any easier.

It was Agaus all over again. The pain of seeing her slang teammates laid out dead before her was magnified by the simple fact that she had done this.

She had _almost_ killed her own friend... again.

Her eyes screwed shut and her fist clenched as the ugly truth once again leered at her.

What had she done?

Stepping away from the tube she looked over to the Thorian.

The living plant was standing on a small pedestal beside the bio-tube, her hands resting on a smooth control column that rose out of the ground. Her eyes were unfocused, focusing on the thousands of functions and processes within the device, controlling them all through touch alone.

Under the plant's direction, half a dozen needle tipped tendrils rose from the bottom of the tube, pricking the sides of the open wound. Wherever they touched, a bundle of cells were flash cloned, aged and then knitted onto the ruined flesh, slowly sealing the gash shut. Under the Thorian's careful ministrations it was already half closed, a far cry from the bloody rent from before.

And it had been terrible. Ruby shivered as she remembered the pool of blood outside, how she had watched another friend die before her eyes.

She could never thank the New Growth enough for saving his life.

After Ruby had managed to pull the massive scythe out of his chest, the living plant had rushed the dying Turian away to the medical center, where they all currently resided, leaving Ruby kneeling in a pool of blood and her own tears. She hadn't moved an inch until one of the colonists brought word that Garrus was stabilized. Only then was she able to pull herself out of her self loathing and look around at the aftermath of the battle.

About a dozen colonists had died in the defence of their new home and, to her dismay, eight of the Blackwatch. The Turians had stayed to the end, true soldiers to the core. But it was that which ended them. The final rush of husks overwhelmed them, trampling them underfoot in their mad dash to kill her. Only Stela and three others had survived.

Of her own team...

Ruby eyes shifted from Garrus' tube to the two others against set into the wall. Tali and Ashley hung in them, suspended in the same sap like substance.

Out of everyone else, only they were deemed to be in critical condition. The others, Wrex, Liara and Kaidan, were far better off.

Kaidan had been the best off out of all of them. The slash from the Screamer was shallow, barely scratching his ribs. Blood lose had been the primary concern with him. But even without medicine he would be back on his feet in a few weeks.

Liara's leg had looked to be a helpless case and Ruby thought she'd never walk again. But the technology here was simply incredible. The New Growth had glued the joint back together, a mere side thought as she worked on Garrus, putting Liara's leg back together piece by piece. She might need therapy, but it far better than the alternative.

As for Wrex... what had she been thinking? As if a little crash and fall could kill that old bastard. When colonists had tried to wake him the Krogan had responded... violently. Apparently he was more pissed off about a Screamer getting the best of him again. The only thing that had saved the unfortunate men was that his limbs were pretty much useless, broken in too many places to count. He would be up on his feet in a matter of days even without the advanced medicine the Thorian offered thanks to his species natural regeneration abilities.

The three of them, along with the Blackwatch, had been placed in a different ward of the medical center, allowing the Thorian to work without interruptions.

Ruby's own injuries were minor. The holes in her stomach where the Screamer had stabbed her were healing quiet nicely. The Thorian had placed a strange black patch over it before tending to the others. The explanation of it's functions went completely over her head, but within an hour the holes had been healed over, leaving only pale white scars as proof they had ever been there.

But as for Tali, having her mask broken was a death sentence. With her non-existent immune system the infections had set in faster than a starship at FTL. She had been close to death when they had found her, drowning in her own blood and mucus. She'd been put in a tube immediately and flooded with enough meds to kill a fully grown elephant. Even in the tube she was still in her suit with a newly made mask covering her face, the device sterilizing it as well as keeping it's occupant healthy. But for how sick she'd been the Quarian was recovering faster than Ruby had dared to hope.

Thank God for modern medicine, even futuristic alien stuff.

But Ashley...

Ruby slowly looked at the last tube, feeling sick at what she saw.

Ash had taken the worst of it.

In the final rush, Ash had been out in the open, bleeding out through her missing arm. The husks hadn't directly killed her, but... they trampled her down to nothing. Her chest had caved in under the weight of dozens of feet tramping over her, crushing everything inside. Her lungs had collapsed, heart crushed and everything else was pounded to mush. The only life support she had was a bundle of tubes going into her skull, feeding her brain oxygen and keeping it alive until the Thorian could devote her full attention to her.

How on earth she was still alive Ruby didn't know... but she was thankful none the less. God must have been smiling down on the marine for such a miracle.

"Hold on guys," she whispered to the two floating patients. "We'll take of you. I promise."

Reluctantly, she turned away and looked back to see the Thorian finish sealing up Garrus' side. A long, white scar in his chest was all that remained of the grievous wound.

"He will recover," the Thorian sighed tiredly, releasing the control column as she stepped back.

Ruby didn't respond. She could only stare at the white line, the only proof of what had happened. Again guilt welled up inside her.

She did this. Garrus had almost died because of her.

But how would he take that? How could she possibly explain herself?

Agaus had been one nightmare after another, but she had people on her side. The Alliance hadn't wanted word of it to get out so they buried it deep inside their records. She hated herself for thinking this, but the fact that there were no survivors made everything easier. No witnesses, no loose ends. The tragedy had been buried so deep it would never see the light of day.

She should have been punished. Court marshaled and discharged without a second thought. But she was too valuable an asset to lose. But if the truth were to ever get out... she didn't want to think about it. But now with Garrus still alive, how was she going to do this? What would he think if her? What would they all think of her?

A hand gently rested on her shoulder as the New Growth stepped closer. "We cannot change the past, Silver Eyes. Actions we regret can haunt us for a lifetime, but only we can choose if we let those regrets dictate our future," she said softly.

Ruby swallowed, not trusting herself to speak as her emotions ran rampant.

How?

"Your cipher is ready," the Thorian said, stepping back. "I can transfer it to you whenever you ask. However, it would be much easier to do in the Library. The proximity to my main body will ease the strain on both our minds."

Ruby spared one last look at Garrus, then sighed and nodded. A minute later she followed the Thorian out the door and into the hall. Together they left the medical center and passed through the courtyard. Of the battle that had just taken place, all that was left were blood and piles ashes. But she forced it all away, even though questions still whirled around in her head over what had happened with her eyes, tearing her eyes from the pool of blue and red beneath the two statues in the center.

Crescent Rose was still there, lying abandoned on the ground. It would stay there until she could bring herself to pick it up again.

Ruby's mind drifted, trying to find some solution to her dilemma, and before she knew it she was standing beneath the Thorian's pulsating form. She took a seat in the same chair as before, idly noting that their unfinished drinks were still sitting on the table.

"Have you ever melded before?" the Thorian asked, sitting in the other chair and taking a deep breath as her whole body relaxed.

Ruby gave a single nod. "A few times."

"Then you know what to expect. But I must warn you, my mind is far different than any Asari. I am connected to this planet as a whole. Focus on what I am giving you, for if you stray to far in my thoughts you may come into contact with impulsing that would destroy you. The human mind cannot fathom what I comprehend every second."

She reached out and gently placed her hands on Ruby's head. "Are you ready?"

Ruby nodded again.

"Then embrace eternity."

With that, the outside world vanished. Ruby felt her body fade as her mind collapsed inward as if falling into a dream. And when she next opened her eyes she was... nowhere.

It was always strange describing a casual Asari meld. It was like being on opposite sides of an invisible chessboard. On one side her own consciousness filled the tiles, thoughts, feelings and emotions were all bound together to form her very being. In the meld you could see and understand your very own mind, as easily as reading a book.

The Ruby shifted her mental gaze to look out to the other side of the board and paled at what she 'saw.'

If she was a book then the Thorian on the other side was an endless ocean of thought. Even though the barrier of their minds kept them away, Ruby could still vaguely feel the roots of millions of plants flowing across the whole sphere of the world. Beneath it she could feel the planet itself, a solid sphere of mass unlike anything she could imagine. The shear amount of information was staggering. Water absorption measured in moisture levels, daily growth measured in the replication of cells, the electrical power harvested from an advanced form of photosynthesis... and the shear _billions_ of mechanical programs she was connected to, an endless stream of ones and zeros linking her to every system on the planet.

Now Ruby truly understood the Thorian's warning. Her brain would fry like an egg if she had this much information flowing through her head.

Then she felt the Thorian's consciousness stir, carefully sifting through it's thoughts like it was searching for buried treasure. Slowly, something began to form, a single packet of thought rolling around in the Thorian's will. With each passing second it slimmed down, the complex instincts and emotions contained within gradually morphing into a single thought, simple and elegant.

At last feeling that the task was complete, the Thorian gently crossed over the barrier of her mind and placed the thought into Ruby's subconscious.

And that was it.

Ruby had expected something to happen. A bit of pain maybe, or even just a twinge of something alien. At worst, she'd start speaking Prothean... or maybe even turn into one.

Amusement colored the Thorian's thoughts as she sensed Ruby's confusion. Another thought passed between them, this one a simple explanation that their method was far more refined than the rough, biological system of examination the Protheans used or even the Asari meld.

With that, the meld began to break as the two consciousness' separated.

Then the unthinkable happened.

From deep beneath the earth a surge of thought suddenly flared, glowing bright beneath of the Thorian's consciousness. Through their connection, Ruby could vaguely feel a tingling sensation flooding the endless miles of roots, coming from the very planet itself. It came to life beneath them, pure power radiating from it's core as a presence rose to the surface. The Thorian panicked and tried to sever their connection, but a single whispered thought from the entity stopped her dead in her tracks, terrified as Gaia itself joined the meld, linking it's thoughts with theirs.

It rose above them like a mountain, larger than even the Thorian's vast mind, reminding Ruby just how small she really was as the presence towered over her. She was nothing more than an ant on it's surface, a very literal comparison considering the circumstances. And the power... that such a being could contain such force made the whole Citadel armada seem powerless in comparison. But directly beside it, she was nothing more than a candle against the storms of Jupiter. Completely and utterly powerless.

The presence, Gaia, the planet itself, examined her like a speck of dust under a microscope, brushing it's mind against hers. She was frozen, held in place by the planet's will, powerless as it judged her. For a full agonizing minute she waited, hardly daring to think as the godlike being examined her, staring deep into her very soul.

Then a rumble shook the earth, carrying a voice of absolute authority and power that made her quiver in terror.

" _ **You have heart,**_ _ **daughter of Remnant**_ _ **. Now let me give you**_ _ **back your**_ _ **strength.**_ "

A surge of power began to build inside Gaia's essence, growing in size until it rivalled the sun itself.

Before Ruby could react the energy was thrust at her, engulfing her body and mind in fire. Every nerve burned and every thought caused unimaginable agony to burst behind her eyes. But through the pain she could see the purpose that Gaia intended as it's Aura flowed through her body, burning away the dust that threatened to drain her Aura dry.

And then it was over.

The meld ended and Ruby collapsed to the ground, gasping as the pain vanished as fast as it had came.

But there was something else in it's place... something new, yet familiar. A heat that suffused her entire body in it's gentle embrace. She had never felt it before... or had she? But somehow she knew what it was.

Pushing herself to her feet and ignoring the New Growth's panic at what had just happened, Ruby brought up her hand and focused, bringing her new found power to bare. She was rewarded with a glowing red film of energy that encased her body.

A smile came to her lips and she clenched her fist, once again feeling the familiar power that had laid dormant inside her for so long.

Her Aura had returned.

* * *

 **Short chapter for how long it took, I know. But the next chapter is already completed and 21 is in the works.**

 **So... Gaia is more than it seems. I can hear some of you saying that Gaia is Remnant incarnate. But no, that's not it. Remnant will come into play in due time, but not like this. No, Gaia is something else. _Someone_ very, very important.**

 **Oh, I can't wait!**

 **But onto more important matters. Yes, Garrus is alive, saved by a ball of dirt, as was everyone else. So everyone is still alive... but who will be coming back? Just because they're alive doesn't mean they won't all leave together. Oh well, find out in the next chapter.**

 **Also, to the shadowreaper, thanks for the corrections. I went back and fixed everything you pointed out. On that note, I'm looking for a new beta. If you're interested please PM me.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing here. I do this only to improve my skills as a writer and entertain others. Please don't sue me.**


	20. Coming Shadows

"I'm sorry Ash."

The sleeping marine floating in the bio-tube twitched slightly as if hearing her through the twisting maze of her dreams. Though it was very unlikely, it made Ruby feel better none the less, especially considering the circumstances.

Ruby grimaced as she watched. Ashley's chest was still caved in and only the advanced medical tech implanted in her body was keeping her alive. Even then she wasn't a pretty sight. The fact that she was also stripped naked for easy access was easily ignored in favor of her injuries.

Sighing, Ruby pressed a hand against the glass and looked into Ashley's pale face. "I'm sorry. I really am... but there's nothing I can do."

She sniffed, remembering the decision she'd been forced to make just a few hours ago. Gaia had been... adamant in its demands. But Ruby hadn't let the matter go, making one request for their cooperation.

The planet had eventually relented.

"We have to leave you."

Silence was her answer.

"I'm sorry, but I had no choice. Gaia, the planet I mean, wants us gone for good. It's letting the colonists stay here with the Thorian, but everyone that came on the Normandy has to go. It won't let anyone stay... except you."

She swallowed, fighting back her emotions. "If we try to move you... you'll die. I had to make the call and... I'm so sorry. The Thorian will take care you, get you patched up just like the rest of us. We're all fine by the way. Just a few scratches here and there."

Ruby sighed again, remembering Garrus. "You'll be alright here, the colonists will make sure of that. But... I just..."

She gasped, fighting back a sob as she looked up at the broken body. "I'm sorry. I've lost too many already... but leaving you here is no better... You won't be able to leave. Gaia won't let us back... and it won't let you go."

Her head bowed and a tear dripped onto the floor. "I'm so sorry for abandoning you here, but I had no other choice. You'll die if I bring you with as and... I want you to live, Ash. I know we didn't have the time to really get to know each other, but I always called you a friend. The others... they don't know about Agaus... not yet. But you do, and you still gave me a chance. I can never thank you enough for that... oh, Ash, I'm so sorry!"

The tears came down in earnest as Ruby cried, her hand pressed against the glass. Though she had done many difficult things in the past, this was by far the hardest. She was abandoning one of her own on an alien world. It cut her to the core, even if it was to save her life. She had almost killed Garrus and now had to leave Ashley as good as dead.

Even though she had begged Gaia on her hands and knees to save Ashley the conditions were brutal.

In return for saving her life, the marine could never again leave the planet's surface. But even worse, Gaia had ordered the Thorian to tell that others that Ashley had died of her injuries and made Ruby promise to never say she was alive ever again.

In short, to the outside, Ashley was dead.

Would she hate her for this? Abandoning her to live out her life on a colony she could never leave?

She had almost fought Gaia over this, but the planet's will had risen to the surface, towering over her like a mountain of absolute power and authority that could snuff out her life like a candle. She had been powerless to object, resigning herself to the eventuality. In one way or another, it was all her fault. Garrus had been saved, only for another to die in his place.

Somehow Ruby managed to bring her tears under control, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself. She straightened, squaring her shoulders as she stepped back from the tube and tried to look Ash in the eyes one last time.

She wanted to say to say how sorry she was and how it had to be this way. But when she opened her mouth the words just wouldn't come.

Her lower lip trembling, she gave the Marine a proud salute, silently thanking her for her service. Then, with a heavy heart, Ruby turned and left the medical center, the door closing behind her with a note of finality.

That was the day Ashley Williams died.

-Linebreak-

The New Growth watched the lift as it ascended up through the rocky roof above the forest floor, vanishing into the crust.

They were gone.

A breath of wind rustled the tresses of her dress, blowing cool against the green skin of her more mobile body. She wished she could have saved the Asari who gave her this form, but alas, there was nothing she could have done.

But there were other more important matters to worry about right now. So much had happened which shattered her earlier assumptions of traditions and protocol.

Gaia had spoken to mortals.

It had never happened before that the living planet had deemed mortals worthy of hearing its voice, and instead had only spoken to it's chosen Warriors and the Thorian caretakers. But she had watched the planet speak to their hearts, ordering them all to never return. Well, the ones who were awake, anyway.

It suddenly occurred to the New Growth that she had never seen an Asari go as white as a sheet. An amusing sight to be sure, but she didn't blame them. The planet could crush the life out of them by its sheer will alone. Her predecessors had seen it happen and she was in no hurry to witness it herself.

The Commander had left them, just as it asked, taking what remained of her crew, numbering five of her original team and four of the Blackwatch, along with the two remaining vehicles. Her own personal Mako was still in good condition and the last Falco was still drivable. The other was wrecked beyond repair and was left behind in the courtyard. It might just be useful. Maybe the people of Zhu's Hope could try and fix it.

 _Try_ being the keyword.

Of her own people, only about a dozen had been killed by the Reaper forces. They would be missed and remembered. But the others would recover, and that was all she cared about. They were her people, after all. It was her very nature to tend to the needs of the Warriors and her home, and these poor souls were no different. They had a home here with her, and she would gladly assist them.

But there was still so much to do.

Smiling farewell at the lift, the New Growth turned and walked into the Library, running over the medical inventory in her head.

Even now, hundreds of thousands of years later, the House of Ancients was not found wanting. They had enough supplies to tend to a large army, and that was before she would be forced to start manufacturing medicine on her own. Food also wasn't an issue. They were right in the middle of the Fertile Crescent after all, able to supply the whole city and station above with enough food to feed billions.

With a little direction, the colonists could take care of themselves while she tended to Ashley Williams. Even with Gaia's blessing, it would be a miracle if she pulled through.

A plan gradually formed in her mind. Dozens of tasks melded with the right people and she estimated that repairs, recovery time and burials would take no less than six days.

That _had_ been the plan, until she turned the corner into the main atrium and froze, barely stopping herself from screaming.

There, resting beneath her main body in the garden, was a Grimm; Beowolf class. It was huge, far larger than the regulars of its kind. But unlike the more bipedal Beowolves, this Grimm was more wolfish in design, meant for pure speed and ferocity. Its fur was covered in bone plates, grown over the centuries and bearing the scratches of a million battles. But the true testament of its age was the fur. The once pitch black pelt was a solid gray, flecked with streaks of white.

With dread, she realized it was the White Grimm, Greymane himself. Legends said it was one of the first Grimm ever pulled from the pool. Ancient beyond reckoning. Gaia's personal hitman.

She froze, hardly daring to breathe as her mind raced. Had she done something wrong? Was Gaia displeased with her in some way? Probably. The only reason a Grimm would be here was for an assassination or execution.

She took a slow, careful step back, but froze again as the Grimm lifted it's head and stared directly at her. It's glowing red eyes burned with a keen, cruel intelligence.

It had barely moved, but she was already at its mercy.

With nothing better to do, the New Growth fell on her hands and knees and bowed before it. There was nothing else she could do. It would run her down before she could even turn the corner. So she knelt there, shivering, silently begging for mercy.

The Grimm blinked lazily at her, then rose and stalked forward. Its heavy paws, tipped with razor sharp claws made no noise on the smooth floor as it stopped before her.

The New Growth closed her eyes, expecting the worst from this creature of shadow. What she didn't expect was the breeze of warm, musty breath on her bare head, followed by a low growl. It wasn't threatening, well, as non-threatening as a Grimm could be.

Slowly, she looked up into its blazing eyes. Was it even here to kill her?

The Grimm studied her intently for a moment, then jerked it's head upward as if demanding she rise. She did so, her legs trembling as she beheld the true size of the beast. Even when standing, her head barely made it to the Beowolf's chin.

The Grimm examined her one last time before pushing past and heading deeper into the Library. The New Growth hesitantly fell into step behind it, following it through the twisting corridors.

This had never happened before. Never had a Grimm come for one of her race, let alone sparing its target. But where was it taking her? Somewhere private so it won't make a mess? Blood was hard to clean and stained like mad, after all.

She shivered at the morbid thought, then gasped as her mind caught up with the path they were taking.

The Grimm had led her down into the sublevel below the Library. A tight and narrow passage, barely large enough for the Grimm as it carried on into darkness. There was barely any light, the lighting crystals set few and far in between. This was a place only accessible to the Warrior of the House. In short; forbidden territory. Every Thorian knew of it but never dared set foot in this sacred area.

Even though every instinct screamed at her to run, the Thorian carried on, the fear of the Grimm overruling common sense.

Suddenly the passage opened up and the two stepped into a high arched room. It was completely bare, save for the large pit in the center, going down to the planet's core.

Her mouth opened in shock as she saw it. This was the summoning room.

She stopped in the doorway, refusing to go another step. The way she saw it, either the Grimm would kill her for not listening or Gaia itself would tear her Aura apart for trespassing. Only six people in known history had ever set foot here and they were beings of immense power.

But the Grimm took no notice of her and carried on towards the black pit.

Before the New Growth's stunned eyes, a platform of stone rose from the blackness. A Glyph was carved on its surface, too complex for even her heightened mind to follow. The Grimm stepped onto the platform then turned, staring at her. Waiting... for her.

"No..." The Thorian whispered taking a step back. This couldn't be happening! No Thorian had even seen Gaia's core. It wasn't their place! She didn't even want to know. Those that came back were forever burdened with a terrible secret and she wanted no part in it.

Then a low rumble shook the earth, carrying words that whispered to her very Aura. Words of reassurance that told her that this was meant to be. That this would be the day she finally met her Master.

Before she knew it, she was standing on the platform, descending down into the darkness of Gaia.

-Linebreak-

 **From: [REDACTED] STG High Director**

 **To: [REDACTED]: Section 37**

 **Director,**

 **I won't mince words here.**

 **What the** _ **FUCK are you thinking?!**_

 **I won't apologize for my language. I have told you again and again that you answer to** _ **me**_ **. If the Councillor wishes to make a request for the allocation of resources I have to approve it first! Moreover, it was decided at our last department meeting that Commander Ruby Rose is no longer our priority. Your own Section has found sufficient evidence to prove the Reaper's existence. You are studying the artifacts we recovered from Eden Prime, after all.**

 **I will say this only once. You are** _ **forbidden**_ **from conducting any operation regarding Commander Rose, regardless of what the Councillor says. If I even catch a whiff that you're planning something your whole Division will be scrapped and tried for treason.**

 **I expect your full cooperation, otherwise, the response will be most... unpleasant.**

 **You are to continue with your current project. And NO, you are not permitted to create a Husk of any kind. Your goal is to try and find a way to reverse the process, and if failing that, slow it.**

 **I expect your full report next week.**

 **Also, please resubmit the Psychology Analysis of your operatives. There are anomalies that we find... worrying.**

* * *

 **Now things are starting to get is 'dead' for the rest of the game, the Grimm make their first appearance and the STG are planing something. Also yes, rather short chapter for the amount of time it took to get out. And that is because I'm switching over. Writing the big monster chapters I had at the the beginning was just so tiring. I was burning myself out just trying to make monthly with life getting in the way. So, I'm changing my approach. Unless something very big goes down, hopefully no chapter get above 5000 words. I'm making them short sweet and to the point. And it's showing results. I'm almost two chapters ahead and picking up the pace. I'm thinking that once I have three in reserve and can keep up the pace I give out weekly updates.  
**

 **Thank you once again for all your support and keeping me going.**

 **Also, thank you to my beta readers: Shad0wReaper133 and Allard-Liao!**


	21. DISCONTINUED

**So yeah, your worst fears have come true. This story is now discontinued. Those of you who followed me from the beginning will remember that I was choosing to skip most of Ruby's early life in the galaxy just so then I wouldn't burn myself out writing. As it turns out that was a mistake. As I went on writing and referencing things in her past, things changed; Ideas, people and whole concepts changed dramatically. The problem was I would keep on referencing things like Agaus. To you readers it would have seemed solid enough, but me the idea was still fluid because it wasn't written down and set in stone. Same thing with a bunch of other key plot points in her past. I felt that I didn't have that solid platform to stand on, and as I went on it undermined me constantly. I was always second guessing myself and it always got me down thinking how I was going to make things work. This all came to a head when I was finishing up chapter just didn't make sense to me anymore. As I was looking back and trying to find a way to make it work I finally decided to fuck it.**

 **I was burned out trying to make this work.**

 **I'm done writing this story.**

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 **So I decided to rewrite it. Set myself up with a good solid platform of plot that I can use as an anchor for when I'm getting deeper into Ruby's character and her experiences. It won't be a full rewrite, Oum knows how long that will take. No, I feel that everything past chapter 3 is recyclable, it's the beginning and her past that I need to work on. Originally I was just going to rewrite the first 3, but as I got more into it, expanding certain things, 3 chapters became 7. Of course I can't just fit that in here, it would mess up everything. So, as much as it kills me to lose that review, follower and favourite count, I'm going to delete Commander Rose and replace it with a newer and better version. I'm still polishing up everything, making it all fit so when it does go live I can have rapid fire updates until we get back to ch 20.**

 **Thank you for sticking with me for this long guys, and thank you so much for supporting me with your comments and criticism. Hopefully I'll get the first new chapter up in a week or so.**


	22. Rose of the Stars

**'Rose of the Stars' is up.**

 **I just wanted to get it out as soon as possible as a thank you to you guys, but it will take me a while to get up to speed. Stuff is going on this weekend, Canada day and all that.**

 **Anyway, this is officially the end of Commander Rose. Enjoy!**


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